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THE   CRADLE   OF  THE   DEEP 


SEEING  NO  MOTION   IN  THE  MAN's  BODY,  HE     .    .    .    TURNED 

rx  OVER  WITH  A  JERK  "   {see  page  150) 


:irxos:8:iiDs:8xa!03C8XOi^osxos3irxc8^^ 


THE  CRADLE 
OF  THE  DEEP 

cAn  cAccount  of  the  cAdventures  of 
Eleanor  Channing  and  John  Starbuck 


BY 

JACOB    FISHER 


With  a  frontispiece  In  full  color  from 

a  painting  by 

MODEST  5TE1N 


GROSSET     &    DUNLAP 
PUBLISHERS  :    :    :  NEW   YORK 


£8»»S£8S»»»:8C83)»XC83£K8C83£8XCKHQK8C8SS3S 


Copyright,  igi2,  by 
The  Frank  A.  Munsey  Company 

Copyright,  igi2, 

By  L.  C.  Page  &  Company 
(incorporated) 

All  rights  reserved 


THE  colonial  PRESS 
C.  H.  8IMONDS  &  CO.,  BOSTON,  U.  8.  ▲. 


CONTENTS 


CBAFTKK 

PAGE 

.               I. 

The  Wreck   .... 

.            .           .              I 

n. 

On  the  Breast  of  the  Watei 

IS  ..  .         .        13 

m. 

The  Second  Officer  Takes  C 

HARGE      .         27 

w. 

In  the  Watches  of  the  Nigh 

T       .         .         3S 

V. 

The  Battle  with  the  Waves 

.        .       57 

VI. 

Monsieur  Aubert  Explains 

•        .        •        73 

VII. 

Two  Men  and  a  Woman  . 

•       .       .      93 

VIII. 

Starbuck  Island 

.       .       .     IIS 

rx. 

With  Death  in  the  Cup  . 

.       .     131 

X. 

The  Clean  Air  of  Morotng 

.       .       .     156 

.XL 

What  Manner  of  Man     , 

.       .       .     171 

XII. 

The  Raising  of  the  Dinghy 

.       .       .     185 

xin. 

In  the  Bonds  of  Service 

.     207 

XIV. 

The  Husk  of  Convention 

.     221 

XV. 

The  Giving  and  the  Taking 

.       .{  232 

XVI. 

Treasure 

.       .     243 

xvn. 

Shanghaied 

.       .     251 

XVIII. 

Alone      

,       .       .263 

xrx. 

The  Escape 

.     272 

XX. 

By  Dead  Reckoning  . 

.     290 

XXI. 

By  the  Words  of  Men    . 

.       .     299 

2135401 


THE  CRADLE   OF   THE 
DEEP 


CHAPTER   I 


THE   WRECK 


"  Here,  —  damn  you,  get  back  J  " 

The  spat  of  a  bare  fist  on  soft  flesh  accompanied 
the  oath  and  was  followed  by  the  thud  of  a  man's 
body  striking  the  deck. 

"  This  ain't  the  Bonrgogne,  you  frog-eater. 
Women  go  first  on  this  ship,  savvy  that?  " 

The  second  officer  of  the  South  Pacific  liner  Mar- 
quesas, San  Francisco  for  Manila,  leaned  for  an 
instant  to  gaze  into  the  face  of  the  man  he  had 
struck,  but,  before  he  had  time  to  satisfy  himself  as 
to  the  extent  of  the  damage  done,  another  dull  roar 
shook  the  ship  and  the  deck  heaved  sickeningly  as 
the  whole  fabric  of  the  steamer  shuddered  under  her 
death  blow. 

1 


2  THE    CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

The  second  shock  was  not  so  heavy  as  the  first, 
which  had  come  without  warning  some  few  minutes 
before,  when,  for  some  reason  probably  never  to 
be  explained,  the  dynamite  stored  under  the  cargo 
in  the  forward  hold  had  awakened  the  slumbering 
passengers  with  its  sullen  detonation.  The  force 
of  the  explosion  apparently  had  torn  the  bottom 
out  of  her,  and,  though  the  discipline  that  made 
possible  the  shutting  of  the  few  compartment 
doors  she  possessed  was  admirable,  the  Marquesas 
was  already  several  feet  down  by  the  head  when 
the  second  shock  burst  the  forward  bulkhead  and 
sent  the  water  p6uring  into  her  fire-room. 

To  add  to  the  predicament,  the  disaster  came  in 
the  dark  of  a  moonless,  starless  night.  The  flash  of 
rockets  and  the  glare  of  the  Coston  signals  burning 
on  the  superstructure  illumined  the  sea  round  about, 
but  with  the  dynamo  stilled  and  the  ship's  lights 
out,  the  decks  below  were  too  dark  to  distinguish 
more  than  the  hurrying  to  and  fro  of  vague  shapes, 
as  the  remnants  of  the  crew  stood  to  stations  and 
the  officers  here  and  there  tried  to  quiet  the  fright- 
ened passengers.  The  order,  "  Stand  by  to  aban- 
don ship,"  had  been  given,  pending  an  examination 
as  to  the  extent  of  the  steamer's  wounds,  but  now  it 
was  evident  that  she  was  doomed  and  that  no  time 
was  to  be  lost  in  getting  out  of  her. 

Worn  out  as  they  were  by  a  four  days'  northeast 


THE    WRECK  3 

gale  into  which  the  ship  had  run  some  days  after 
leaving  Honolulu,  during  which  the  starboard  pro- 
peller had  raced  itself  off  the  tailshaft  and  one  blade 
of  the  remaining  screw  had  dropped  into  two  thou- 
sand fathoms  of  water,  the  passengers  as  well  as  the 
crew  were  too  fatigued  both  in  body  and  mind  to 
feel  to  its  full  extent  the  portent  of  this  new  dis- 
aster. Officers,  who  had  hardly  left  the  bridge 
during  the  gale,  were  being  wearily  kept  on  duty 
by  the  fact  that  the  nearly  unmanageable  steamer 
had  been  blown  far  to  the  southward  of  her  course, 
and  by  dead  reckoning  and  such  observations  as 
they  were  able  to  make,  was  in  dangerous  proximity 
to  the  reefs  and  countless  islands  that  dot  the 
Pacific  in  the  region  north  of  the  equator  and  to  the 
west  of  the  one  hundred  and  eightieth  meridian. 

The  full  force  of  the  first  explosion,  coming 
directly  under  the  forecastle  where  most  of  the 
men  except  the  deck  watch  and  the  engine-room 
force  were  sleeping,  had  killed  or  maimed  the 
greater  number,  so  that  in  the  stress  that  followed, 
work  with  the  boats  was  slow  and  all  were  under- 
manned though  they  bid  fair  to  be  filled  to  over- 
burden with  the  passengers,  of  which  the  ship  had 
nearly  a  full  list.  Curiously  enough,  with  the  sec- 
ond detonation,  which  increased  the  peril  many  fold, 
the  screaming  and  hubbub  on  deck  lessened,  and, 
save  for  the  sobbing  cry  of  a  woman  here  and  there. 


4  THE   CRADLE   OF  THE   DEEP 

order  was  fairly  restored.  Sharp  and  decisive  now 
came  the  orders  of  the  captain  from  the  super- 
structure of  the  deckhouse  aft,  where  he  had  taken 
his  station  since  the  bridge  had  been  wrecked  by  the 
first  blast. 

"  First  officer's  boat." 

"  Ready,  sir." 

"  Lower  away." 

And  the  craft,  crowded  with  huddled  humanity, 
sank  from  the  davits  to  the  washing  sea  alongside. 
Safely  launched,  the  boat  pulled  away  from  the 
ship  and  lay  at  a  little  distance,  the  crew  resting 
on  their  oars. 

"Second  officer!" 

Again  came  the  high  note  from  above  and  the 
crispness  and  businesslike  cadence  of  its  tone  in  it- 
self inspired  confidence  in  the  throng  of  men  and 
women  who  were  awaiting  their  turn.  But  the 
second  officer  did  not  answer. 

"  Mr.  Steinway,"  called  the  captain  to  the  third 
officer,  who  stood  near  the  rail  working  over  a 
jammed  fall  with  bleeding  fingers,  "  where  is  Mr. 
Starbuck?" 

"  Haven't  seen  him  since  the  last  blow  up,  sir." 

"  Then  take  charge  of  his  boat,"  continued  the 
captain  as  he  peered  through  the  darkness,  "  All 
clear  there? "  he  questioned  as  the  third  officer 
finally  jerked  the  rope  free.     "  Then  stand  by  to 


THE    WRECK  6 

lower.  Lower  away,"  he  added  as  the  last  man  took 
his  place,  followed  by  Mr.  Stein  way  in  the  stern- 
sheets. 

The  other  boats  followed,  one  by  one,  until  six 
were  in  the  water.  All  these  were  loaded  deep  with 
passengers  and  such  of  the  wounded  members  of 
the  watch  below  as  had  been  got  out  of  the  wreck 
before  the  second  explosion  made  further  rescue 
impossible.  The  four  boats  that  lay  at  the  forward 
davits  had  been  so  badly  damaged  as  to  be  useless, 
but  by  close  packing  the  others  were  made  to  hold 
the  ship's  company  without  resorting  to  the  use  of 
the  life-rafts.  Though  several  were  overcrowded 
they  were  seaworthy  enough  in  quiet  weather  and 
the  chance  that  they  would  be  lightened  through 
the  death  of  several  of  the  injured  men  seemed  al- 
most certain.  The  boats  in  charge  of  the  first  and 
third  officers,  the  chief  engineer,  first  assistant, 
steward  and  purser  all  having  gone,  the  captain 
looked  about  him. 

"  Are  all  out  of  the  ship  ?  "  he  bellowed  to  the 
chief,  whose  boat  lay  nearest. 

"  I  think  so,"  came  back  the  answer. 

"  Have  you  seen  Mr.  Starbuck  ?  " 

"  No,  sir,  not  since  the  second  explosion.  He 
must  have  gone  below  for  something  and  got 
caught." 

"  Stagg,"  ^called  the  captain  to  the  boatswain's 


6  THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

mate,  who  stood  by  the  after  gangway  rail,  "  go 
below  and  see  if  you  can  find  the  second  officer." 

The  man  started  on  his  mission  while  the  captain 
stood  waiting,  viewing  for  the  last  time  the  wreck 
of  his  command.  No  sound  came  save  the  gurgle  of 
the  water  pouring  through  the  rent  forward  bulk- 
head. The  scream  of  exhausting  steam  from  the 
open  escape  valve  had  stopped  and  no  more  than  a 
murmur  of  voices  rose  from  the  nearby  boats.  The 
people  in  the  captain's  boat  sat  silent,  benumbed 
with  the  suddenness  of  disaster,  waiting  for  what- 
ever else  should  come  to  them.  The  deck  sagged 
and  rose,  heavy  and  lifeless,  and  now  and  then  the 
ship  tossed  her  stern  high  as  the  sea-filled  fore  part 
settled  lower. 

"  Can't  find  him,  sir,"  came  the  hurried  voice  of 
the  boatswain's  mate,  as  he  appeared  with  a  lighted 
engine-room  torch  dropped  by  a  fleeing  oiler. 
"  I've  looked  everywhere  for  him,"  he  added. 
"  She  won't  swim  much  longer,  sir ;  the  'midship 
bulkhead  is  goin'  soon." 

"  Take  your  place  then  and  stand  by,"  was  the 
captain's  order  as  he  made  his  way  to  the  boat  deck. 

A  last  glance  forward,  where  the  water  was  al- 
ready washing  over  the  deck  with  the  sluggish 
movement  of  the  ship,  and  the  captain  climbed 
over  the  boat's  gunwale. 

"  Lower  away,"  he  ordered. 


THE    WRECK  7 

lA  moment  before  the  second  explosion  the  second 
(officer,  Mr,  Starbuck,  was  leaning  over  the  man  he 
had  knocked  down.  As  he  bent  forward  there 
came  to  his  ears  a  low  cry,  a  woman's  voice,  with 
grief  and  despair  in  its  muffled  note,  from  some- 
where below  him.  An  open  port  might  have  carried 
the  sound.  Starbuck  started  as  the  roar  of  the  de- 
tonation shook  the  steamer  and  leaving  the  French- 
man in  the  shadow  where  he  lay,  stepped  across  to 
where  the  doorway  of  the  forward  companion  gaped 
black  against  the  surrounding  paintwork.  Feeling 
in  his  pocket  for  matches,  he  groped  his  way  to  the 
stairs  and  stopped  to  listen.  A  faint  sound  caught 
his  ear  and  he  descended  quickly  and  listened  again. 
For  a  moment  he  heard  nothing  but  the  swash  of 
the  flooded  hold  and  the  clatter  of  the  loose  wreck- 
age and  floating  cases  among  the  cargo.  Then  he 
caught  the  sound  again,  unmistakable  this  time,  as 
that  of  a  human  voice  which  led  him  quickly  to  the 
port  side,  forward,  where  the  gangway  past  the 
stateroom  doors  ended  in  a  jumbled  mass  of  de- 
bris. Hurrying  on,  he  could  hear  some  one  strug- 
gling weakly  with  breath  coming  in  laboured  gasps. 
Bending  low,  with  a  lighted  vesta  he  explored  a 
gaping  hole  in  the  side  of  a  stateroom  and  caught 
a  glimpse  of  a  foot,  a  woman's,  in  motion,  twist- 
ing and  turning  in  an  effort  to  free  itself  from  some 
obstruction.    With  a  shout  of  encouragement  Star- 


8  THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

buck  tried  the  stateroom  door  but  it  was  jammed 
immovable.  With  fierce  blows  of  his  feet  and  fists 
he  attacked  the  panels  of  the  side,  the  lower  of 
which,  already  splintered,  came  easily  away,  leav- 
ing a  hole  large  enough  to  admit  his  head  and 
shoulders.  Squirming  through  the  narrow  space,  he 
lighted  another  match  and  saw,  lying  on  the  deck, 
a  young  woman,  held  down  by  a  broken  beam 
which  lay  across  her  legs.  He  pulled  himself 
quickly  inside,  and,  as  he  did  so,  the  feeble  strug- 
gling ceased. 

"  Fainted,"  he  thought,  as  he  peered  at  her. 
"  That  couldn't  have  killed  her." 

Stooping,  he  braced  himself  for  an  effort  and  with 
all  the  strength  in  his  body  pitted  his  weight  against 
that  of  the  fallen  beam.  At  first  it  would  not  give. 
Angered  by  this,  Starbuck  suddenly  increased  his 
effort  and,  with  a  heave,  wrenched  the  timber  up- 
ward. It  came  a  few  inches  only,  but  it  was 
enough,  and  grasping  the  woman  by  the  shoulders 
he  drew  her  from  underneath.  He  could  not  see 
her  features  and  lighted  another  match,  looking 
about  meanwhile  for  water.  There  was  a  carafe 
in  the  rack  above  the  wash-bowl.  He  seized  it  and 
poured  the  water  liberally  over  her  face  as  she  lay 
with  her  head  on  his  knee.  With  the  shock  she 
opened  her  eyes,  and  as  the  circumstances  came 
dimly  back  she  stared  at  him  in  fright. 


THE    WRECK  9 

"  Are  you  much  hurt?  Can  you  get  up?  "  asked 
Starbuck,  as  he  raised  her  to  a  sitting  posture. 
"  You  will  have  to  hurry.  The  ship  is  sinking 
fast." 

She  made  an  effort  to  rise  but  fell  back  with  a 
cry  of  pain. 

"  Is  your  leg  broken  ?  "  he  asked,  and  receiving 
no  reply  stooped  to  examine.  "  Move  your  legs,  if 
you  can,  and  let  me  see,"  he  ordered  sharply. 

He  struck  a  match  and  held  it  up.  The  woman 
started  and  rose  to  her  knees,  looking  at  him  with 
Staring  eyes. 

"  Good,"  he  said,  "  you  can  walk  well  enough. 
You're  Miss  Channing.  We'll  have  to  be  getting 
out  of  here  in  a  hurry.  Grab  what  you  can  lay  your 
hands  on  and  follow  me  through." 

He  made  as  if  to  raise  her,  and  at  last  she  spoke. 

"  My  aunt,"  she  faltered,  "  there,  in  the  berth  — 
I  came  to  find  her.  I  couldn't  see  and  she  —  I'm 
afraid  —  " 

Quickly  he  made  a  light,  and  for  the  first  time 
saw  the  form  of  a  woman  in  the  berth,  lying  hud- 
dled as  if  in  pain.  As  he  looked  closer  he  discerned 
a  long  sliver  of  wood  from  the  splintered  partition 
protruding  from  her  breast  and  a  heavier  fragment 
wedged  across  her  throat.  A  glance  was  enough, 
but  to  make  sure  he  placed  his  hand  on  her  heart. 

"  She's  dead,"  he  said.     "  Come." 


10         THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

•Seeing  that  the  girl  stood  in  a  daze  he  seized 
her  roughly  by  the  shoulder  and  shook  her,  ex- 
claiming as  he  felt  the  ship  lurch  drunkenly  under 
his  feet: 

"  You've  got  to  come  quick  or  we'll  be  caught. 
She's  going  down  any  moment." 

In  the  darkness  he  felt  for  the  hole  with  one 
hand,  and  holding  the  girl  with  the  other,  squeezed 
himself  through,  pulling  her  after  him.  Outside, 
with  his  arm  around  her  he  groped  to  the  stairway 
and  up  it  to  the  deck.  Bearing  her,  he  swiftly  made 
his  way  aft,  shouting  as  he  ran  in  a  voice  that  rose 
to  a  bellow  when  he  realized  there  was  no  answer- 
ing hail.  Dropping  her  against  the  rail,  he  sprang 
up  a  ladder  to  the  top  of  the  deck-house.  It  was 
dark;  the  ship  was  deserted. 

He  sought  for  a  Coston  light  in  the  after  signal 
locker  but  it  was  empty,  the  captain  having  taken 
the  last  of  the  rockets  and  torches  when  he  left  the 
ship.  He  could  see  the  shadows  of  the  life-rafts 
and  of  the  forward  boats  still  hanging  at  the  davits 
but  the  latter  he  knew  to  be  useless  and  the  former 
no  one  man  could  handle.  Back  he  dropped  to  the 
promenade  deck  and  ran  to  the  girl,  who  clung 
silently  to  the  rail.  Grasping  her  arm  he  hurried 
aft,  and  saw,  swinging  from  its  tackles,  the  small 
work  boat,  made  ready  for  launching  but  left  still 
above  the  deck.     Leaping  in  he  made  sure  it  con- 


THE    WRECK  11 

tained  a  full  water  breaker  and  the  small  tin  case 
of  biscuit  always  kept  there.  Oars,  sail  and  mast, 
boathook  and  oarlocks  were  in  their  places.  He 
hurried  again  to  the  girl. 

"  We're  all  right,"  he  shouted.  "  We've  got  a 
chance." 

The  sucking  sound  from  below  warned  him  to 
hurry,  and  dragging  her  to  the  boat's  side,  he  helped 
her  in  and  told  her  to  sit  still.  Diving  into  the 
nearest  stateroom,  one  of  the  cabins  of  the  upper 
tier,  he  was  seizing  the  bedding  when  he  felt  some- 
thing round.  It  was  a  bottle.  Without  stopping 
to  learn  the  contents  he  dropped  it  into  the  pocket 
of  his  coat  and  made  for  the  deck  again.  As  he 
turned  toward  the  boat  his  foot  struck  something 
soft,  and  bending  down  he  felt  the  moustache  and 
imperial  of  the  Frenchman,  The  head  moved.  A 
groan  of  awakening  consciousness  and  the  man 
stirred  and  raised  himself. 

"  Get  up,  if  you  want  your  life  saved,"  rasped  the 
second  officer,  as  he  grasped  the  fallen  man's  collar 
with  his  free  hand.  "  It's  lucky  for  you  I  thought 
of  getting  this  stuff.    Get  along  there." 

He  hauled,  pushed  and  kicked  the  half  conscious 
man  into  the  boat,  shoved  the  bow  fall  rope  into  his 
hands  and  hurriedly  gave  directions  for  lowering 
that  a  landsman  might  understand.  He  himself 
manned  the  stern  tackle  and  at  a  word  the  boat 


12         THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

slowly  dropped  down  the  ship's  lessening  free- 
board. 

The  sea  was  not  rough  and  there  was  no  difficulty 
in  launching  the  light  craft.  When  she  was  in  the 
water  the  blocks  were  unhooked,  and  seating  him- 
self at  the  oars,  with  the  girl  in  the  stern  and  the 
man  in  the  bow,  Starbuck  pulled  rapidly  from  the 
steamer's  side. 

Black  and  monstrous  lay  the  rolling  bulk,  dipping 
farther  down  with  each  slow,  lifeless  heave,  the 
water  frothing  about  her  bows  as  she  rose  and  sank 
in  the  trough  of  the  sea.  They  had  not  gone  more 
than  a  hundred  yards  when  a  muffled  crash  told  the 
second  officer  that  the  midship  bulkhead  had  burst. 
With  a  giant  effort  the  ship  threw  her  stern  high 
in  the  air,  then  lurched  and  settled,  heaved  again 
and  was  gone  for  ever  in  the  black  depths.  The 
sucking  whirlpool  and  the  tossing  flotsam  alone 
were  left  in  the  ghostly  glow  of  the  sea's  phospho- 
rescence. 

As  they  watched,  even  this  faint  gleam  disap- 
peared, leaving  them  in  their  frail  boat,  alone  with 
the  sea,  rising  and  falling  on  its  bosom,  overi- 
whelmed  by  its  mystery,  its  treachery  and  its  utter 
loneliness. 

It  was  very  dark. 


CHAPTER    II 

ON    THE   BREAST   OF   THE   WATERS 

Starbuck,  at  the  oars,  for  a  time  sat  silent.  He 
mechanically  kept  the  boat's  head  to  the  seas,  which 
now  and  then  lifted  bubbling  crests,  throwing  the 
spume  over  the  bow  as  the  craft  danced  on  the 
rhythmic  heave.  The  Frenchman,  too  far  overcome 
by  the  situation  for  words,  cowered  where  he  had 
dropped  down  with  his  head  on  the  forward 
thwart.  In  the  stern  the  girl  sat,  rigid  and  ter- 
rified, with  a  hand  convulsively  clutching  at  either 
gunwale. 

Starbuck  was  listening.  The  other  boats,  he 
knew,  would  lay  a  course  to  the  north  in  an  at- 
tempt to  reach  the  steamer  lane  between  Honolulu 
and  Manila,  from  which  the  Marquesas  had  been 
driven  by  the  storm,  and  with  straining  ears  he  tried 
to  catch  any  noise  of  oars  or  voices  that  might  be 
borne  to  him  on  the  breeze,  but  the  only  sound  was 
that  of  the  wind  itself  and  the  tireless  wash  of  the 
sea.  Standing  erect  he  made  a  trumpet  with  his 
hands  and  bellowed  into  the  wind's  eye,  but  only 

13 


14         THE    CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

once  or  twice  for  he  knew  it  was  useless.  The 
steamer's  lifeboats,  manned  with  husky  rowers, 
loaded  down  though  they  were,  could  far  outstrip 
his  single-handed  efforts;  but  he  must  make  an 
attempt,  he  knew,  to  gain  their  company  at  once  or 
the  chase  would  be  hopeless.  Catching  a  sound 
from  the  man  in  the  bow  he  turned  on  him 
savagely. 

"  Here,  you,"  he  shouted,  "  get  up  on  that  thwart 
and  take  an  oar.  You'll  have  to  work  your  pas- 
sage from  this  out." 

As  he  spoke  he  reached  for  the  man's  collar  and 
hoisted  him  from  the  bottom  of  the  boat,  shaking 
him  into  partial  activity  as  he  thrust  an  oar  into  his 
hands. 

"  Now  you  keep  stroke  with  me,  and  row. 
Savvy  ?  "  he  growled  over  his  shoulder  as  he  seated 
himself  at  his  task. 

The  Frenchman  made  a  poor  oar  of  it,  though 
roused  by  the  apparent  necessity  of  obedience  he 
tried  to  do  his  best ;  but  his  unskilled  strength  was 
far  below  that  of  the  other  and  the  boat's  head  con- 
stantly swung  off.  The  sailor  looked  around  in 
disgust. 

"  You're  a  pretty  apology  for  a  man,  now,  ain't 
you?"  he  sneered.  "Why,  a  wooden  Injun  could 
keep  his  end  up  better  than  that." 

He  took  possession  of  the  oar  again  and  for  the 


ON  THE  BREAST  OF  THE  WATERS   15 

first  time  seemed  to  turn  his  attention  to  the  woman 
in  the  stern. 

"  Miss,  do  you  think  you  could  steer?  "  he  asked. 

She  started  at  his  sudden  question.  "  I  have 
steered  boats  in  quiet  water,"  she  answered,  "  but 
perhaps  that  is  very  different.  At  any  rate,  I  could 
try." 

"  That's  proper  talk,"  was  the  approving  answer. 
"  It'll  give  you  something  to  think  about  anyway." 

Bending  over  the  stern  to  ship  the  rudder  he  dis- 
covered, though  the  weather  was  warm,  that  she  was 
shivering. 

"Cold?"  he  inquired. 

And,  in  spite  of  her  protest  that  it  was  nervous- 
ness and  excitement,  he  gathered  up  the  bedding  he 
had  taken  from  the  steamer  and  wrapped  it  clumsily 
about  her. 

"  Now,"  he  continued,  "  keep  the  wind  square  in 
your  face,  I  can't  tell  one  point  of  the  compass 
from  another,  but  the  wind  ought  to  be  about 
no'theast,  so  we'll  head  that  way  till  morning  and 
then  we'll  maybe  sight  the  other  boats.  The  com- 
pass of  this  dinghy  is  gone,"  he  explained,  as  he 
settled  himself  at  the  oars  again.  "  And  you,"  he 
went  on,  with  his  head  half  turned  to  get  an  eye  on 
the  Frenchman,  "  if  you  can't  do  any  better,  lie 
still  and  trim  the  boat.  You'll  need  your  rest,  too, 
because  you  don't  want  to  think  your  bein'  a  land 


16         THE    CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

lubber  is  going  to  let  you  sodjer  out  of  work  aboard 
of  this  one." 

With  that  he  commenced  to  pull  in  short,  regular 
strokes  with  a  seemingly  tireless  jerk  of  his  arms 
and  the  boat  began  to  move,  slowly,  almost  imper- 
ceptibly among  the  heaving  masses  of  black  water, 
but  the  momentary  whirls  of  phosphorescence  left 
by  the  oar  blades  showed  progress  as  they  slid 
astern,  as  did  the  faint  streak  of  light  in  the  boat's 
wake.  The  steady  click,  clack  of  the  oars  in  the 
rowlocks,  the  regular  dip  and  rise  of  the  boat  as  it 
crossed  the  long,  slow  swells,  were  calming  in  their 
influence,  and  gradually,  as  the  girl's  nervous  tension 
relaxed,  she  found  herself  going  back  over  the 
events  that  had  so  shaped  themselves  as  to  place 
her  in  such  desperate  straits. 

Miss  Eleanor  Channing,  only  daughter  of  Major 
Horace  Channing,  U.  S.  A.,  born  and  bred  inside 
the  charmed  circle  of  Boston's  best  culture,  sat  in 
a  cockle-shell  of  a  ship's  dinghy,  in  mid-Pacific, 
with  two  strange  men,  to  neither  of  whom  had  she 
ever  spoken  a  word  before  that  night,  and  of  whose 
very  existence  she  had  been  only  dimly  aware. 

On  her  way  to  Manila,  where  her  father  was  sta- 
tioned for  three  years,  with  her  aunt  as  chaperone, 
she  had  all  in  an  instant  been  cut  off  from  relatives, 
friends,  and  even  the  encircling  arms  of  civilization 
itself,  and  dropped,  as  it  were,  into  an  emotional 


ON  THE  BREAST  OF  THE  WATERS    17 

and  physical  chaos  that  she  could  hardly  grasp,  so 
completely  overturned  was  her  mental  and  material 
world.  At  first  she  had  hardly  realized,  but  now 
that  the  first  shock  was  over,  her  imagination  began 
again  to  assert  itself  and  to  reveal  the  impossibili- 
ties of  her  position. 

Brought  up,  as  she  had  been,  in  the  family  of  her 
mother's  sister,  Mrs.  Hartley,  who  took  her  when 
a  motherless  infant  of  a  week,  she  had  never  even 
dimly  imagined  that  the  things  of  which  she  had 
read  as  happening  to  those  strange  people  who  fall 
in  with  wild  adventures  on  Iknd  and  sea,  could, 
within  the  bounds  of  probability,  ever  happen  to 
her.  Her  life  in  Boston  had  been  the  normal,  regu- 
lar existence,  as  child,  school-girl  and  debutante, 
of  the  typical  young  woman  of  her  class;  very  cor- 
rect and  with  few  excitements.  She  had  studied 
privately  at  home,  attended  a  select  and  exclusive 
school  in  the  Back  Bay,  and  had  been  duly  presented 
to  the  best  circles  of  society.  After  two  winters  of 
dinners  and  dances,  luncheons  and  opera,  she  had 
become  engaged  to  Mr.  Ellery  Oldsworth,  a  young 
man  of  her  own  caste,  whom  she  had  known  from 
early  childhood,  and  who,  just  from  Cambridge, 
was  making  a  pleasant  start  on  the  preassured  road 
to  local  importance  by  running  errands  for  a  bank- 
ing firm,  the  name  of  which  was  a  State  Street 
classic.    It  was  not  that  he  needed  the  seven  dollars 


18         THE    CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

a  week  the  position  paid,  but  because  it  had  been 
ordained  when  he  was  born,  just  as  his  name  had 
been  entered  as  a  future  attendant  at  the  school  in 
which  he  prepared  for  college,  and  for  membership 
in  the  club  which  was  a  family  tradition.  Nothing 
had  been  overlooked  or  left  to  chance  in  this  young 
man's  life;  all  had  been  prepared,  as  it  were,  gen- 
erations in  advance,  and,  as  a  result,  he  naturally 
enough  came  to  look  on  the  world  as  more  or  less 
his  indivdual  oyster,  which,  already  opened  for  him, 
was  being  properly  and  duly  presented  on  the  half 
shell,  with  condiments  ready  to  his  hand. 

This  atmosphere  of  security  and  well  being 
Eleanor  Channing  had  shared.  To  her,  adventure, 
or  any  misplaced  happening,  was  essentially  vulgar. 
At  twenty-one  she  had  already  developed  the  half- 
cynical  viewpoint  common  to  her  type,  from  which 
she  looked  out  upon  life  as  from  an  eminence  from 
which  there  could  be  no  descent.  She  shared  with 
Mr.  Ellery  Oldsworth  the  knowledge  that  they  were 
admirably  fitted  to  view  the  mildly  amusing  world 
together  from  the  same  pinnacle,  in  the  comfortably 
uncrowded  companionship  of  the  common  friends 
who  occupied  that  high  position  with  them. 

Her  engagement  having  been  announced  in  the 
fall,  she  was  now  going  on  a  short  visit  to  her  father 
before  the  wedding,  which  was  to  take  place  the  fol- 
lowing   September,      Major    Channing,    being    an 


ON  THE  BREAST  OF  THE  WATERS    19 

active  and  ambitious  member  of  his  profession,  had 
given  but  little  time  to  the  up-bringing  of  his  only- 
child.  Moved  at  rather  frequent  intervals  from  one 
post  to  another,  both  at  home  and  abroad,  some- 
times with  his  regiment,  but  more  often  on  detached 
duty  on  departmental  boards  or  as  military  attache 
to  some  embassy  or  legation,  the  reason  for  his 
neglect  was  adequate.  Having  little  beside  his  pay, 
which  was  more  than  swallowed  up  in  necessary 
expenses  incurred  in  the  line  of  duty,  he  had  been 
well  content  to  leave  his  daughter  in  the  kindly 
hands  of  her  mother's  people,  who,  having  no  chil- 
dren of  their  own,  had  cheerfully  and  delightedly 
accepted  the  trust. 

The  prospect  of  the  trip  was  something  of  a  bore 
to  Miss  Channing,  but  after  the  whirl  from  coast  to 
coast  in  the  chill  of  March,  the  warming  breezes 
of  the  Pacific  had  been  welcome,  and  until  the  hur- 
ricane she  had  been  enjoying  the  rest  the  voyage 
had  brought  from  a  winter  of  social  gaiety.  As 
there  was  no  one  on  board  the  Marquesas  who  could 
for  any  possible  reason  be  called  interesting,  she  and 
Mrs.  Hartley  had  settled  down  to  the  m.onotony 
of  the  long  sea  trip  when  their  calm  was  interrupted 
by  the  discomfort  of  the  storm.  This  over,  though 
the  accident  to  the  ship's  propeller  had  been  an 
annoyance,  routine  had  been  fairly  restored,  when, 
with  the  appalling  suddenness  of  a  blow  in  the  dark. 


20         THE    CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

the  disaster  had  come  which  at  once  had  robbed  the 
girl  of  every  shred  of  the  fabric  of  her  environment 
and  cast  her  out  on  the  breast  of  the  waters,  help- 
less, comfortless,  and  alone. 

The  roar  of  the  first  explosion,  the  crashing  tim- 
bers, the  cries  of  the  passengers,  the  gurgling  of 
the  water  in  the  hold  and  the  horrible  uncertainty 
had  tried  her  to  the  utmost,  but  the  second  shock, 
which  gave  the  ship  its  death  blow,  and,  in  an  in- 
stant, had  crushed  out  the  life  of  her  foster  mother, 
was  a  stunning  impact  on  her  mind  that  came  back 
to  her  with  recurring  horror.  The  sickening 
thought  of  the  moment  when,  hurled  to  the  floor 
of  her  stateroom,  she  realized  that  her  aunt  had 
been  killed,  and  that  she  herself  was  pinned  down 
to  drown  like  a  rat  in  a  sinking  ship,  now  and  again 
swept  her  with  a  cold  wave  of  terror. 

Her  present  predicament  brought  the  thought  of 
her  rescuer,  the  second  officer.  She  had  a  remem- 
brance of  having  seen  him  about  the  deck,  but  he 
had  only  shared  in  the  casual  notice  she  had  be- 
stowed upon  her  circumstantial  companions,  as  one 
of  the  persons  who  hurried  back  and  forth  attending 
to  the  running  of  the  ship.  Beyond  that  Starbuck 
had  made  no  impression  on  her.  She  did  not  even 
know  his  name.  The  other  man  in  the  boat,  the 
Frenchman,  she  had  been  aware  of  as  a  rather 
loudly  dressed  foreigner,  whose  manners  were  ap- 


ON  THE  BREAST  OF  THE  WATERS    21 

parently  agreeable  to  a  number  of  women  he  had 
met,  and  to  whom  he  assiduously  devoted  his  atten- 
tion. That  he  was  anxious  to  enlarge  his  acquaint- 
ance in  her  direction  was  plainly  shown  when,  at 
Honolulu,  he  had  stood  near  her  at  the  rail  and 
pointed  out  with  carefully  planned  pseudo-sponta- 
neity of  manner,  the  tricolour  of  the  French  con- 
sulate as  the  steamer  neared  her  anchorage.  An 
absent  and  distinctly  well-bred  bow  was  all  she  had 
vouchsafed  to  this  advance,  and  even  a  shipboard 
acquaintance  needs  a  firmer  foundation  for  con- 
tinuance. From  the  passenger  list  she  knew  that 
his  name  was  Henri  Aubert.  His  present  cowering 
attitude  and  the  evident  enmity  of  the  second  officer 
did  not  rouse  her  sympathy,  for  even  at  the  mo- 
ment of  leaving  the  ship,  she  had  divined  that  there 
was  some  good  reason  for  the  man's  being  left  by 
the  others. 

Coming  back  to  the  present  she  saw,  or  rather 
felt,  that  something  had  changed.  She  remembered 
that  she  had  been  instructed  to  keep  the  wind 
squarely  in  her  face,  but  now  there  was  no  wind. 
Peering  at  Starbuck,  sbe  perceived  that  he  was  no 
longer  rowing.  He  sat  at  the  oars  with  drooping 
head,  and,  while  the  blades  still  held  the  water,  they 
no  longer  moved. 

"  He's  asleep,"  she  thought.  "  How  can  he  sleep 
at  such  a  time  ?  " 


22  THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

She  bent  over  and  touched  him  on  the  arm. 
Broad  awake  in  an  instant,  the  sailor  looked  quickly 
around. 

"  I  must  have  dropped  off  for  a  wink  or  two,"  he 
said,  as  the  oars  began  to  move  again.  "  You 
should  have  waked  me  before,"  he  added.  "  Not 
that  it's  much  use  to  pull,  but  I  suppose  we  ought 
to  keep  moving.  The  wind  has  dropped  altogether," 
he  explained,  "  and  they  will  be  making  better  time 
still,  but  we  may  have  a  chance  in  the  morning  when 
we  get  our  bearings.  I  can't  tell  how  we're  heading 
with  this  smudge  overhead." 

"What  are  we  to  do  if  you  don't  find  them?" 
asked  the  girl,  leaning  forward  and  speaking  in  a 
low  voice.  "  What  chance  have  we  to  be  picked 
up?" 

"  Well,  Miss,  you  see,  it's  like  this.  We  were 
blown  off  our  course  a  long  way  by  that  rampaging 
no'theaster,  and  we're  pretty  well  out  of  the  steamer 
track.  There's  some  trading  vessels  that  oome  down 
this  way  to  the  Marshalls  and  the  Gilberts'  but  not 
many  this  time  of  year,  when  the  monsoon's  chan- 
ging and  hurricanes  like  what  we  went  through  are 
lying  around  loose.  I  should  say  our  best  chance 
is  to  make  one  of  these  islands  that  must  lie  here- 
abouts and  wait  until  something  oomes  along  to 
take  us  off." 

"  But  that  may  be  days,"  said  the  girl  in  her- 


ON  THE  BREAST  OF  THE  WATERS    23 

ror,  "  and  we  have  no  provisions  or  clothes 
or  —  " 

A  short,  low  laugh  from  the  man  stopped 
her. 

"  There'll  be  provisions  enough  I  guess,"  he 
said,  "  breadfruit  and  cocoanuts  and  yams  and 
bananas.  We  sha'n't  starve  on  any  island  in  these 
waters." 

The  thought  of  provisions  evidently  started  a  new 
train  of  thought,  for,  abruptly  breaking  off  his  ex- 
planation, he  felt  beneath  the  thwart,  groping  for 
something  in  the  darkness.  Not  finding  it,  he 
peered  into  the  stern  where  the  girl  sat. 

"  Is  there  a  small  tin  case  under  you  there?"  he 
asked,  leaning  forward. 

She  felt  but  reported  nothing.  Quickly  Starbuck 
turned  and  stepped  to  the  bow.  Stooping  over,  he 
uttered  an  exclamation  of  anger  and  smothered  an 
oath  as  he  lifted  to  view  a  canister  of  ship's  bis- 
cuits, the  top  of  which  had  been  pierced  with  a 
knife  blade  and  turned  back. 

"  You  damned  hog!  "  he  fulminated,  shaking  his 
fist  at  the  man  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat.  "  I  beg 
your  pardon,  Miss,"  he  broke  off,  turning  back  to 
the  girl,  "  but  this  —  this  fellow  here  has  been 
broaching  the  provisions  and  he's  made  a  hole  in 
'em  that  looks  like  he  had  been  at  it  pretty  steady. 
Just  keep  your  eye  on  that  case  for  the  rest  of  the 


24         THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

voyage.  I'll  promote  you  from  passenger  to 
steward,  and  nobody  is  to  touch  that  tin  without  the 
skipper's  orders.  Let's  see  if  he's  emptied  the  water 
breaker." 

Plunging  forward  again  and  seizing  the  wooden 
keg  that  lay  in  its  place  on  the  boat's  bottom,  he 
shook  it.  The  swash  of  the  water  inside  told  him 
that  it  had  been  tapped,  though  it  was  still  nearly 
full. 

"  Say,"  he  drawled  to  the  Frenchman,  who  now 
sat  up  in  an  attitude  of  half-expectant  anxiety  and 
fear  of  an  attack,  "  what  do  you  think  this  is, 
Thanksgiving?  " 

"  I  felt  a  faintness,"  spoke  the  Frenchman,  depre- 
catingly,  "  I  have  not  had  food  for  many  hours  and 
the  terrible  excitement  has  made  me  ill.  I  saw  no 
harm." 

"  No,"  replied  Starbuck,  in  deep  disgust,  "  you 
saw  no  harm  in  filling  your  skin  with  victuals  that 
may  have  to  keep  the  three  of  us  God  knows  how 
long.  You  can  understand  right  now,  my  friend, 
that  I  am  the  skipper  of  this  craft,  and  if  you  so 
much  as  look  at  that  tin  or  that  water  breaker  with- 
out my  permission,  I'll  throw  you  overboard. 
Now,"  he  continued,  "you  need  exercise  to  digest 
that  full  meal,  so  get  up  there  and  have  a  rowing 
lesson." 

The  man  clambered  to  the  midship  thwart  and 


ON  THE  BREAST  OF  THE  WATERS    25 

clumsily  grasped  the  oars.  At  Starbuck's  direc- 
tion he  began  to  ply  them  with  more  or  less  effect, 
and  the  boat  moved  again,  slowly  onward  through 
the  darkness. 

The  three  spoke  no  more  and  the  minutes 
dragged  by,  the  silence  broken  now  and  then  by  a 
sigh  from  the  toiling  man  as  he  shifted  his  grip  on 
the  oars  and  straiglitened  his  bowed  back  in  fatigue. 
But  Starbuck,  merciless,  sitting  behind  him,  held 
him  to  his  task  until  a  faint  streak  of  light  marked 
the  east  and  presaged  the  coming  of  a  new  day. 
The  first  false  gleam  of  dawn  left  the  night  blacker 
than  before,  and  worn  out  at  last  with  thoughts  and 
fears,  the  girl  slipped  gently  to  the  grating  beneath 
her  feet  and  slept,  huddled  in  the  tangle  of  bedding 
Starbuck  had  thrown  around  her  shoulders,  her 
head  resting  upon  her  arm. 

Finally,  after  a  period  that  seemed  interminable, 
the  day  broke.  The  clouds  on  the  horizon  lightened 
and  lifted  in  a  rosy  streak,  and  the  red  ball  of  the 
tropic  sun  shot  up  from  the  sea  like  a  globe  of 
molten  metal.  Almost  at  once  it  was  broad  day- 
light and  Starbuck  wearily  stood  up  on  his  thwart 
to  gaze  about  the  narrow  circle  within  his  vision. 
His  trained  eye  quickly  scanned  the  wave  crests  but 
saw  only  a  waste  of  waters,  gray-green  under  the 
clouds  overhead  but  turning  white,  then  blue  in  the 
distance,  as  the  sky  cleared  before  the  growing  day. 


26         THE    CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

No  boats  were  to  be  seen,  and  with  a  glance  at  the 
sleeping-  girl  and  a  low  growl  of  caution  to  the  man, 
he  motioned  him  back  to  the  bow  and  took  the  oars 
again. 


CHAPTER    III 

THE   SECOND   OFFICER   TAKES   CHARGE 

Almost  immediately  after  finishing  his  task  Au- 
bert  fell  asleep  in  his  old  place.  The  girl  did  not 
stir  and  Starbuck  hardly  rowed,  fearing  to  wake 
her  with  the  clump  of  the  oarlocks.  He  sat  looking 
about  him,  now  and  then  taking  a  short  stroke  to 
keep  the  boat's  head  to  the  seas,  for  the  man  was 
deadly  weary,  not  having  slept  for  two  days  before 
the  wreck.  With  consciously  dulling  mind  he 
conned  the  situation  carefully;  at  the  time  of  the 
explosion  he  knew  the  Marquesas  had  been  driven 
into  the  region  of  the  Eastern  Carolines,  but  that 
they  now  must  be  still  at  a  considerable  distance 
south  was  apparent  from  the  fact  that  after  the 
storm  no  land  had  been  sighted.  Since  the  wreck 
the  boat  could  have  made  but  little  progress  in  any 
direction,  for  although  it  had  been  kept  headed  well 
to  the  north,  no  very  strenuous  rowing  had  been 
done  and  it  was  doubtful  if  they  had  fairly  held 
their  own  against  the  light  breeze  and  the  ocean 

27 


28         THE    CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

currents,  which,  in  this  locaHty,  followed  the  direc- 
tion of  the  monsoon  at  a  rate  of  about  three  miles 
an  hour. 

Starbuck  could  see  no  possible  hope  of  overtaking 
the  other  boats,  which,  being  larger  and  deeply 
loaded,  had  probably  been  able  to  beat  to  the  north- 
ward under  sail.  This  he  was  unable  to  do,  the 
dinghy  being  a  light,  shallow  craft,  which,  though 
fitted  for  a  sail,  could  do  little  except  before  the 
-wind.  The  possibility  of  their  being  picked  up  by 
any  vessel  was  extremely  remote,  in  the  mind  of 
the  sailor,  for  trading  vessels  were  scarce  in  these 
parts,  the  Carolines  and  the  Marshall  group  being 
unremarkable  for  their  wealth  in  either  pearl  shell 
or  copra.  Most  of  the  islands  in  this  latitude  being 
of  coral  formation,  either  mere  atolls  or  raised  at 
most  a  few  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  vegeta- 
tion was  limited,  and  the  population  sparse  and 
shifting. 

The  idea  of  working  far  enough  to  the  north  to 
intercept  the  Manila  liners  had  been  given  only 
slight  consideration  by  the  sailor.  Against  wind 
and  current  it  was  a  hopeless  task,  and  now  that 
the  chance  of  overtaking  the  boats  was  utterly  lost, 
the  plan  was  not  to  be  thought  of.  It  seemed  better 
to  bear  to  the  southwest,  and,  taking  advantage  of 
natural  conditions,  endeavour  to  make  one  of  the 
scattered  islands  that  he  certainly  knew  to  be  near 


SECOND   OFFICER   TAKES   CHARGE     29 

enough  for  practicable  effort.  Accordingly,  he 
swung  the  boat's  head  toward  the  mounting  sun. 
A  flat  calm  prevailed  and  it  was  already  uncomfort- 
ably warm. 

The  boat  lay  sluggishly  on  the  smooth  swell, 
rippleless,  save  where  occasionally  a  small  school 
of  flying  fish  rose  and  skimmed  away  to  the  south- 
ward. The  progress  to  be  made  with  the  oars  was 
slight,  but  he  pulled  gently.  As  the  sun  rose  higher 
the  stillness  and  the  heat  became  oppressive  and  he 
remembered  that  he  had  neither  eaten  nor  drunk 
since  leaving  the  steamer.  He  reached  for  the  case 
of  ship's  biscuit  that  lay  beside  the  girl,  and  peer- 
ing in,  he  now  discavered  that  more  than  a  third 
of  them  were  gone. 

Angrily,  with  a  smothered  imprecation,  he  turned 
to  where  the  Frenchman  lay  with  gaping  mouth 
and  eyes  that  showed  the  w'hites  beneath  their  bluish 
lids.  He  started  toward  him,  but  remembering  in 
time  the  sleeping  girl,  stopped  and  sat  down,  exam- 
ining again  the  half-emptied  tin. 

"  How  could  the  dog  have  eaten  that  much?  "  he 
thought.  "  He  couldn't  have  done  it  while  I  was 
awake,  and  I  didn't  drop  off  for  more  than  five 
minutes." 

He  rose,  slowly  this  time,  and  crept  forward. 
A  coat  the  man  had  worn  until  forced  to  take  his 
turn  at  the  oars,  lay  doubled  and  jammed  into  the 


30         THE    CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

bow.  Stepping  over  the  body  of  Aubert,  he  lifted 
the  garment  and  felt  of  the  pockets.  Each  was 
stuffed  with  biscuits  and  even  the  lining  of  the  back 
had  been  slit  to  serve  as  a  hiding  place  for  more. 
Starbuck  turned  white  with  rage  under  his  deeply 
bronzed  skin.  His  hands  twitched  and  his  chest 
heaved  as  he  restrained  his  righteous  anger  at  the 
sleeping  man  before  him.  Had  he  been  alone  he 
might  have  strangled  him  as  he  lay,  but  something 
in  the  sight  of  the  still  figure  in  the  stern  held  his 
hand.  Slowly  he  emptied  the  coat  of  its  contents, 
placing  the  biscuits  carefully  back  in  the  canister. 
He  even  forebore  to  waken  Aubert,  for  he  did  not 
dare  to  trust  himself  to  speak  lest  his  rage  should 
loose  itself.  Grimly  he  stepped  back  to  the  mid- 
dle of  the  boat  and  sat  looking  at  the  huddled 
girl. 

The  wraps  about  her  had  fallen  so  as  to  almost 
cover  her  face,  shielding  it  from  the  sun,  which  now 
was  beating  down  in  tropical  fierceness.  The  heat 
was  great  and  the  girl  must  be  sweltering  under 
her  coverings,  he  thought.  Still  she  slept  on  and  he 
did  not  think  of  wakening  her.  Once  more  he 
scanned  the  sea,  standing  on  the  thwart  and  shield- 
ing his  eyes  with  his  hands.  Nothing  was  visible 
but  the  gleaming,  satin-smooth,  heaving  water, 
whose  long,  calm  roller  followed  them,  passed  un- 
derneath, and  on,  and  on. 


SECOND   OFFICER   TAKES    CHARGE     31 

He  was  becoming  restless  and  his  mouth  was 
parched  and  dry.  His  tongue  felt  rough  and  his 
eyes  burned  from  want  of  sleep.  Raising  the  water 
breaker,  he  pulled  out  the  bung  and  drank  one  or 
two  long  swallows.  The  relief  was  grateful  but  he 
wished  for  sleep  more  than  for  food  or  drink.  Still 
he  did  not  dare  to  rest  while  both  the  others  slum- 
bered. He  must  never  sleep,  he  reflected  as  he 
caught  a  movement  of  the  unconscious  Frenchman, 
except  when  the  girl  was  awake;  one  must  always 
w^tch  this  man.  To  turn  his  attention  from  him- 
self, he  took  up  the  oars  and  pulled  steadily  for 
some  time.  He  decided,  on  thinking  it  over,  to  say 
nothing  for  the  present  of  the  attempt  of  Aubert  to 
secrete  the  biscuits.  It  would  do  no  good  and 
would  only  serve  to  alarm  the  girl.  He  would  take 
good  care  that  nothing  of  the  sort  should  happen 
again,  and  acting  on  this  thought  he  moved  the  keg 
of  water  from  its  place  between  the  forward  and 
middle  thwarts  to  the  space  between  him  and  the 
stern,  where  it  would  be  constantly  under  his  own 
eye.  As  he  did  so  he  knocked  his  elbow  against  the 
handle  of  an  oar  as  it  swung  in  the  rowlock,  and 
stirring  slightly,  the  girl  awoke. 

Drawing  back  the  covering  from  her  head,  she 
sat  up,  staring  around  her  in  a  quick,  startled  way, 
blinking  sharply  at  the  glare  of  light  and  stretching 
her  cramped   limbs.     As   she  noted   Starbuck  she 


32         THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

nodded  and  lifted  herself  to  the  thwart  behind 
her. 

"  I  must  have  slept  for  hours,"  she  said  as  she 
put  her  hands  up  to  adjust  her  disordered  hair  and 
to  straighten  the  tie  at  her  throat. 

"  It  has  cleared  off,  hasn't  it,"  she  went  on,  "  and 
it  is  so  very  warm." 

She  threw  off  the  blankets  with  relief  and  dipped 
her  hands  into  the  water  alongside,  passing  them, 
dripping,  over  her  face  and  forehead,  which  she 
presently  dried  with  a  minute  handkerchief. 

Starbuck  watched  these  little  operations  with  in- 
terest. 

"  You're  hungry,  aren't  you,  and  thirsty  too,  I 
guess,"  he  said,  with  a  motion  toward  the  water 
keg  at  his  feet. 

The  taste  of  salt  water  on  her  lips  brought  home 
the  dryness  of  her  throat  and  she  replied  that  she 
would  both  eat  and  drink,  if  viands  were  plentiful 
in  mid-Pacific. 

"  Better  eat  one  or  two  of  these  first,"  said  Star- 
buck,  offering  the  open  canister  to  her.  "  They're 
dry,  but  the  water  is  pretty  warm  by  now  and  it  will 
taste  better  afterwards." 

Miss  Channing  nibbled  gingerly  at  the  bread, 
crunching  the  crumbs  between  strong,  white  teeth. 
As  she  ate,  she  gazed  about  at  the  sea  as  if  it  were 
a  new  thing.     The  calmness  and  the  steadiness  of 


SECOND   OFFICER   TAKES   CHARGE     33 

the  boat  gave  her  almost  a  sense  of  security  as  she 
watched  the  strong,  short  strokes  of  the  man  at  the 
oars. 

"  I  do  not  see  any  great  shrinkage  in  our  pro- 
visions," she  said,  as  she  fek  in  the  tin  for  another 
biscuit,  "  I  cannot  believe  that  the  man  has  taken 
more  than  his  share,  and  I  believe  you  have  not  had 
yours  at  all." 

Words  sprang  to  Starbuck's  tongue  that  he  had 
difficulty  in  stopping. 

"  I  have  had  enough,"  he  said  shortly,  though  as 
a  matter  of  fact  he  had  eaten  nothing. 

"  And  now,"  said  Miss  Channing  as  she  brushed 
the  fragments  from  her  skirt,  "  may  I  have  some 
water,  please  ?  " 

"  I'm  afraid  you'll  find  our  cut  glass  rather 
rough,"  answered  Starbuck.  "  Will  you  have  it 
straight,  out  of  the  bung  hole,  or  will  you  use  the 
bailing  dish?  " 

The  galvanized  dipper  that  swung  on  a  lanyard 
from  a  brace,  she  inspected  with  a  slight  expression 
of  disgust  as  she  viewed  the  greasy-looking,  brown 
bilge-water  in  the  boat's  bottom. 

"  I  believe  I  prefer  the  keg,"  she  said,  and  leaned 
forward  to  lift  it. 

"Here,"  intervened  Starbuck,  "I'll  hold  it  for 
you.  I  could  pour  it  into  your  palms  but  we  mustn't 
waste  it.     It's  all  we  are  likely  to  get." 


34         THE    CRADLE   OF   THE    DEEP 

He  held  the  breaker  carefully  while  she  applied 
her  lips  to  the  somewhat  large  hole  in  its  side  and 
awkwardly  drank  a  few  swallows. 

The  water  was  warm  and  evil  smelling,  but  the 
thirst  of  a  night  and  a  forenoon  was  compelling, 
and  though  it  sickened  her,  she  felt  better  for  the 
grateful  moisture  in  her  throat  and  turned  to  ques- 
tion Starbuck  on  the  matter  that  was  now  uppermost 
in  her  mind. 

"You  have  not  seen  the  other  boats?"  was  her 
question. 

Starbuck  shook  his  head. 

"  As  I  said  last  night,"  he  repHed,  "  they  have 
outrowed  us  four  to  one  and  we  could  not  catch 
them  now  if  we  had  a  motor.  Our  best  chance  is 
land  of  some  sort,  if  we  can  find  it,  and  we  are  cer- 
tain to  do  that.  It  is  only  a  question  of  time.  I 
expect  we  shall  catch  a  breeze  later  in  the  day," 
he  added,  glancing  to  the  northward,  "  and  then  we 
may  be  able  to  use  the  sail  and  get  on  faster. 
There's  nothing  to  do  now  but  keep  moving  as  best 
we  can  with  the  oars." 

"  And  have  you  been  rowing  all  this  time?  "  she 
asked.  "  You  will  wear  yourself  out.  Have  you 
slept  at  all  ?  " 

Her  anxiety  seemed  to  have  little  sympathy  in 
it  for  the  man  himself,  but  the  question  was  asked 
more  as  one  of  the  formal  civilities  which  the  occa- 


SECOND   OFFICER   TAKES   CHARGE     35 

sion  seemed  to  demand.  Strong  and  muscular  as 
Starbuck  was,  his  life  as  a  watch  officer  of  the 
Marquesas  had  involved  but  little  physical  labour, 
and,  having  grown  somewhat  soft,  the  exertions 
of  the  past  twelve  hours  had  tired  him  more  than 
he  would  have  supposed.  Still,  there  was  some- 
thing of  a  challenge  in  the  words  of  the  young 
woman  before  him,  and  though  he  knew  that  he 
should  take  his  sleep,  he  said  nothing  and  buckled 
to  his  work  once  more. 

Sitting  silent  in  the  stern,  Miss  Channing,  for  the 
first  time,  thoroughly  inspected  the  man  before  her. 

Starbuck  was  little  more  than  thirty,  somewhat 
above  medium  height,  with  a  well  knit  figure, 
straight-backed  and  of  good  proportions.  He  had 
a  broad  brow  and  a  firm,  well  cut  jaw.  His  nose 
was  straight  and  his  mouth  wide.  He  still  wore  his 
uniform  cap  with  the  insignia  of  the  line,  and  under 
it  grew  thick,  crisp  hair  of  a  tawny  colour,  that  was 
not  unbecoming  to  the  red-brown  face  and  neck  it 
shadowed.  Withal,  it  was  a  somewhat  stem  but 
ordinarily  a  pleasant  face  to  look  upon,  and  though 
just  now  there  were  in  it  certain  lines  of  fatigue  and 
care,  there  were  other  lines  that  plainly  showed  that 
this  was  a  man  of  resource,  firmness  and  determina- 
tion. He  had  taken  off  his  coat  early  in  the  day, 
and  with  sleeves  rolled  above  his  wrists,  the  girl 
saw  the  blue  and  red  marks  of  tattooing  on  one  of 


36         THE    CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

his  forearms.  She  looked  closely,  but  could  not 
make  out  the  design.  It  seemed  to  be  some  sort 
of  a  fish. 

Beyond  Starbuck  she  saw  the  form  of  Aubert, 
still  sleeping,  with  his  face  now  buried  in  his  arms. 

"  That  poor  man!  "  she  exclaimed,  "  he  will  roast 
alive." 

To  Starbuck  there  seemed  to  be  a  note  of  sym- 
pathy in  her  voice,  which  had  been  absent  in  her 
inquiries  concerning  himself.  This  he  vaguely  re- 
sented, though  he  could  not  but  admit  that  her  re- 
mark was  reasonable.  However  he  did  not  offer  to 
rouse  the  Frenchman  and  showed  but  little  interest 
in  his  comfort.  The  desire  for  sleep  was  becoming 
irresistible,  and  it  was  only  with  the  greatest  effort 
that  he  kept  at  the  oars. 

Finally  he  stopped  rowing.  The  wind  was  still 
absent,  and  though  he  scanned  the  sky  with  a 
sailor's  glance,  he  discovered  no  sign  of  a  breeze. 

Stooping,  he  picked  up  the  biscuit  tin  and  helped 
himself  to  two.  As  he  munched,  Miss  Channing 
watched  the  hard  muscles  of  his  jaw  that  made 
bulges  come  and  go  in  his  cheeks,  and  a  little  dis- 
gusted with  the  fervour  of  his  mastication,  she 
looked  off  over  the  dazzling  sea,  where  the  heat 
waves  were  now  rising  in  trembling,  gaseous  spirals 
from  the  low  wave  crests. 

His  meal  quickly  finished,   Starbuck   washed   it 


SECOND   OFFICER   TAKES   CHARGE     37 

down  with  a  single  swallow  of  water  and  turned  to 
her. 

"  Miss  Channing,"  he  said,  "  I  must  get  a  little 
sleep.  You  must  understand  this;  so  long  as  we 
three  are  in  this  boat,  either  you  or  I  must  always 
be  awake.  That  man,  asleep  there,  is  not  to  be 
trusted.  I  have  had  good  proof  of  it.  Do  you  un- 
derstand ?  It  is  necessary  that  you  keep  awake,  and 
that  you  wake  me  if  he  wakes.  I  will  give  you  my 
watch  and  you  must  not  let  me  sleep  more  than  an 
hour.  If  you  notice  any  change  in  the  weather  or 
if  you  see  any  cloud  in  the  sky,  no  matter  how  small, 
please  call  me  at  once." 

Unused  to  taking  orders  from  any  one,  much  less 
those  of  an  almost  common  sailor-man,  Miss  Chan- 
ning's  chin  went  up  a  trifle  and  her  eyelids  lowered. 

"  Why,  yes,"  was  the  reply,  "  of  course,  if  any- 
thing happens  I  will  waken  you." 

He  took  out  his  watch,  hanging  by  a  leather 
thong. 

"  Place  this  over  your  wrist,"  he  said,  handing  it 
to  her.  "  There  is  nothing  for  you  to  do  but  keep 
awake." 

He  rolled  liis  coat  into  a  ball,  and,  curling  up  in 
the  bottom  of  the  boat  between  the  centre  and  for- 
ward thwarts,  was  almost  instantly  asleep. 


CHAPTER    IV 

IN   THE   WATCHES   OF   THE   NIGHT 

The  long,  hot,  dazzling  day  crept  on.  The  sun, 
now  almost  at  the  zenith,  sent  down  its  impacting 
rays  upon  the  sea  until  it  quivered  with  the  reflected 
heat.  The  dinghy  was  of  iron  and  the  paint  began 
to  blister  and  bubble  as  the  metal  grew  so  hot 
that  it  almost  burned  the  flesh  if  a  hand  was 
laid  upon  it. 

Miss  Channing,  left  to  her  own  devices,  thought 
of  forming  some  sort  of  shelter  of  the  bedding  on 
which  she  now  sat,  but  the  best  she  could  do  was  to 
throw  the  heap  over  the  grating  to  keep  it  fairly 
cool  agairtst  the  time  when  it  should  be  her  turn 
to  sleep.  The  sun,  beating  on  her  unprotected  head, 
made  her  feel  a  little  faint.  She  wished  for  a 
parasol. 

At  last,  fearing  a  heat  stroke,  she  soaked  in  sea 
water  the  neck  and  shoulders  of  the  serge  coat  she 
had  worn  when  she  left  the  ship  and  threw  the  gar- 
ment over  her  head  like  a  hood.  The  protection 
was  not  great  but  it  afforded  some  relief  from  the 

38 


IN  THE  WATCHES  OF  THE  NIGHT     39 

scorching  rays,  which  seemed  ever  to  increase  in 
intensity.  Remembering  vaguely  of  reading  that 
evaporation  from  a  wet  cloth  would  cool  water  in  a 
vessel,  she  dipped  one  of  the  light  blankets  in  the 
sea,  and  wrapped  it  about  the  water  breaker,  which 
lay  at  her  feet.  She  was  thirsty  again,  but  did  not 
attempt  to  lift  the  heavy  keg.  These  things  seemed 
to  be  nearly  the  sum  total  of  her  possible  activities 
and  after  a  time  she  sat  still,  suffering  in  the  stifling, 
parching  heat  from  which  there  was  no  relief.  The 
calm  was  absolute. 

Glancing  from  time  to  time  at  the  huddled  form 
of  Aubert,  she  wondered  how  the  man  could  sleep 
on  so  steadily.  A  slight  snore  from  time  to  time 
broke  the  stillness.  All  at  once,  as  the  boat  heaved 
to  a  large  wave,  she  heard  a  clink  of  glass  against 
iron  and  at  the  same  time  caught  sight  of  the  neck 
of  a  bottle,  rolling  slightly  on  the  dinghy's  bottom 
and  almost  under  the  Frenchman's  body.  The  ex- 
planation was  clear.  The  man  was  drunk.  How 
and  where  he  had  procured  liquor  was  a  m.ystery, 
but  the  swollen  eyelids  and  the  redness  of  an  ex- 
posed cheek,  together  with  the  occasional  stertorous 
breathing,  told  the  story  well  enough.  For  a  time 
she  was  undecided  what  to  do.  Her  first  thought 
was  to  awaken  Starbuck,  but  he  had  dropped  so 
instantly  asleep  that  she  knew  that  he  must  be  in 
great  need  of  rest.     The  Frenchman  could  do  no 


40         THE   CRADLE   OF  THE   DEEP 

harm  so  long  as  he  was  in  his  present  condition,  she 
reflected,  and  if  he  waked  she  would  then  only  be 
following  instructions  in  rousing  the  sailor.  So  she 
waited,  disgusted  and  disturbed. 

Her  thoughts  turned  back  to  the  steamer  and  to 
her  aunt,  Mrs.  Hartley,  whom  she  had  left  there 
lying  dead  by  violence;  she  who  had  nursed  her 
from  infancy,  who  had  been  the  only  mother  she  had 
known  and  whose  entire  life  had  been  spent  so  far 
from  the  hateful  turmoil  of  the  world  that  her  fate 
was  hardly  to  be  realized.  Utterly  lonely,  hopeless 
and  miserable,  the  girl  pulled  the  coat  further  over 
her  face  and  wept  softly. 

As  she  raised  her  hand  to  dry  her  wet  cheeks  the 
watch  Starbuck  had  given  her  swung  danghng  from 
its  leather  thong  and  she  remembered  that  he  had 
said  an  hour.  The  hour  was  already  gone  and  an- 
other well  begun.  Still  she  did  not  arouse  the 
sleeper.  What  good,  she  thought ;  he  could  do  noth- 
ing for  her.  Two  hours  passed,  and  looking  up 
from  a  long  reverie,  she  noticed,  far  away,  a  small 
gray  cloud  lifting  over  the  horizon.  It  had  little 
meaning  for  her,  but  she  recalled  that  Starbuck  had 
given  it  as  a  reason  for  disturbing  him.  She  leaned 
over  the  thwart  and  touched  him  on  the  shoulder. 
He  turned,  opened  his  eyes  and  looked  into  hers  in- 
quiringly, at  once  awake  and  alert. 

"  I'm   afraid  I   have   disregarded   your   instruc- 


IN  THE  WATCHES  OF  THE  NIGHT     41 

tions,"  she  said  as  he  rose  and  stood  erect,  "  but  you 
seemed  so  comfortable  in  your  unconsciousness  of 
the  heat  that  I  had  scarcely  the  heart  to  rouse 
you." 

He  reached  out  for  the  watch,  and  glancing  at  it, 
smiled. 

"  Perhaps  it  was  just  as  well,"  he  said.  "  I  feel 
like  a  new  man." 

"  The  thing  that  finally  compelled  me  to  speak  to 
you,"  she  said,  pointing  with  her  hand,  "  was  that 
little  cloud  over  there.  It  seemed  so  insignificant 
that  I  thought  it  a  slight  reason,  but  as  you  specified 
the  smallest  kind  of  cloud,  I  thought  it  best  for  you 
to  know." 

Starbuck  followed  her  slim,  outstretched  finger 
with  his  eye  and  was  about  to  speak  when  he  was 
interrupted  by  a  cry  of  surprise  from  the  girl. 

"  Why,"  she  exclaimed,  "  it  has  grown  so  much 
bigger!" 

The  gray  dot  had  spread  rapidly  and  was  now  the 
size  of  a  blanket,  growing,  even  as  they  gazed. 

Starbuck  looked  long  and  fixedly.  His  smile  was 
gone  and  a  look  of  quiet  grimness  took  its  place. 

"  Well,"  he  said  at  last,  "  it  is  likely  to  be  cooler 
before  long." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  asked  the  girl,  anxiously 
searching  his  face. 

"  I  mean,"  he  answered,  dropping  his  gaze  to 


42         THE    CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

meet  hers,  "  that  it  is  Hkely  to  —  that  we  may  get 
a  breeze,"  he  finished. 

"  Do  you  mean  by  that  that  it  will  be  a  *  breeze 
of  wind,'  as  you  sailors  call  a  gale  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Well,"  he  answered  more  volubly,  "  you  see,  in 
this  latitude,  and  at  this  time  of  year,  when  the  sea- 
son is  changing,  you  can't  always  be  certain  what 
may  come  up.  It  is  nearly  time  for  the  no'theast 
monsoon  to  shift  to  a  sou'easter  and  the  process  is 
sometimes  one  that  kicks  up  a  good  deal  of  fuss. 
But,"  he  continued,  reassuringly,  "  that  don't  look 
to  me  like  a  blow  though  we  may  get  a  squall  out  of 
it  and  some  rain,  and  it  will  be  just  as  well  to  make 
things  snug  before  it  comes." 

He  turned  to  more  firmly  secure  the  boathook  and 
an  extra  pair  of  oars  that  were  lashed  under  the 
thwarts,  when  the  girl  touched  his  arm. 

"  I  think,"  she  said  in  a  whisper,  "  that  Monsieur 
Aubert  may  need  a  little  attention.  Just  before  I 
wakened  you  I  noticed  the  reason,  perhaps,  for  the 
soundness  of  his  sleep.  There  it  is,  you  can  see  it 
rolling  just  beneath  his  arm." 

Starbuck  looked  and  stiffened.  With  a  growl  he 
was  starting  forward  when  the  girl  stopped  him. 

"  Please,"  she  said,  "  please  don't  have  a  scene 
with  him.  He  brought  it  from  the  steamer,  I  sup- 
pose, and  has  an  unfortunate  habit.  We,  all  of  us, 
are  in  a  common  danger  here,  and  we  should  be 


IN  THE  WATCHES  OF  THE  NIGHT     43 

tolerant  of  each  other's  shortcomings,  don't  you 
think?" 

"  But,"  exclaimed  Starbuck,  anger  rising  red  in 
his  face,  "  /  brought  that  bottle  from  the  ship.  I 
found  it  in  a  stateroom  where  I  got  the  bed  clothes 
and  took  it  along  for  emergencies.  This  hog  must 
have  stolen  it  from  my  coat  while  I  was  rowing,  and 
he  has  probably  drunk  all  there  was.  Such  things 
as  this  cannot  go  on.  Why,"  he  exclaimed,  "  if  he 
was  to  get  what  is  coming  to  him  he  would  go  to 
feed  the  sharks,  under  some  captains  I  have  sailed 
with.  It's  more  than  stealing.  It's  mutiny.  Sup- 
pose he  had  stolen  what  little  food  and  water  we 
have,  and  had  the  power  to  keep  it.  Why,  he  might 
sit  and  watch  us  dry  up  and  starve,  while  he 
laughed  in  our  faces." 

"  But  why,"  returned  the  girl,  "  why  should  he 
wish  to  do  any  such  thing?  There  is  food  and 
water  enough  to  last  us  to  land,  isn't  there?  There 
is  no  danger  of  our  starving  or  going  insane  for 
want  of  water,  as  I  have  read  of  shipwrecked  people 
doing?" 

Starbuck  was  silent.  He  did  not  wish  to  frighten 
her,  but  it  seemed  necessary  that  she  should  under- 
stand. 

"  I  hope,"  he  said  rather  brusquely,  "  that  in  a 
case  like  this  my  judgment  is  fit  to  be  taken.  I  do 
not  want  to  alarm  you  needlessly,  but  the  fact  of 


44         THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

our  position  is  this;  we  are  somewhere  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  Pacific  Ocean  in  a  small  boat  that  is  none 
too  seaworthy  in  such  weather  as  we  may  meet. 
We  stand  little  chance  of  a  rescue  in  these  waters. 
I  intend  to  make  an  island,  if  possible,  before  our 
food  and  water  give  out.  How  long  it  will  take  I 
do  not  know.  Every  crumb  of  biscuit  and  every 
drop  of  water  must  count  for  something.  The  bot- 
tle of  brandy  that  this  French  hound  has  drunk  to 
satisfy  his  thirst  for  alcohol  might  have  swung  the 
balance  in  our  favour  at  the  last.  Do  you  see  now 
what  I  mean?  He  is  a  thief;  he  is  the  sort  who 
would  rob  a  baby  of  its  bottle.  And  this  is  not  the 
first  time,"  Starbuck  went  on,  "  This  morning, 
early,  while  you  were  asleep,  I  took  from  his  pockets 
and  the  lining  of  his  coat  more  than  a  dozen  bis- 
cuits that  he  had  hidden." 

"  Oh,"  cried  the  girl,  "  I  knew  there  was  some- 
thing behind  your  treatment  of  him.  And  on  the 
ship,  why  was  it  that  you  kicked  him  into  the  boat 
when  we  came  away?" 

"That!"  Starbuck  laughed  grimly.  "Oh,  that 
was  because  he  was  there  at  all.  When  I  went  for 
the  blankets  I  found  him  lying  on  the  deck,  where 
he  fell  when  I  knocked  him  down  as  he  was  trying 
to  crowd  into  one  of  the  boats  ahead  of  the  women, 
I  left  him  when  I  heard  your  cries  from  below  and 
forgot  him  when  we  came  on  deck,     I  stumbled 


IN  THE  WATCHES  OF  THE  NIGHT     45 

over  him  again  as  I  came  from  the  stateroom  and 
hauled  him  along." 

The  explanation  was  given  simply,  as  merely  a 
history  of  facts,  with  no  hint  of  brutality  or  bluster, 
but  out  of  it  stood  one  inference  that  caused  Eleanor 
Channing  to  pause  and  wonder,  with  a  growing 
tightness  around  her  heart.  ''  Because  he  was  there 
at  all."  Was  it  possible,  then,  that  this  man  desired 
to  be  alone  with  her,  that  he  sought  a  pretext  for 
the  elimination  of  the  other?  To  have  her  to  him- 
self? This  was  a  new  thought  and  it  struck  her 
almost  as  a  physical  blow.  Up  to  that  moment  she 
had  only  considered  their  common  danger  and  the 
chances  of  escape.  That  she  was  alone  in  a  boat 
on  the  open  sea  with  two  strange  men  was  embar- 
rassing, but  the  complication  of  personal  peril  on 
her  own  account  had  not  before  shaped  itself.  Now 
she  not  only  saw  the  hideous  possibility,  but  she 
saw  no  escape.  Such  weakness  and  selfishness  as 
the  Frenchman  had  shown  certainly  did  not  point 
to  him  as  a  possible  protector.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  attitude  of  Starbuck,  up  to  the  present  time, 
had  been  as  impersonal  as  was  possible  under  the 
circumstances,  and  though  brutal  he  might  be,  his 
frank  blue  eye  seemed  to  belie  him.  She  tried  to 
put  away  the  suspicion  as  unworthy,  but  doubt 
lingered  and  grew  in  spite  of  her.  The  thing  was 
so  impossible,  yet  so  terrible  in  its  possibility. 


46         THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

Before  she  had  time  to  formulate  any  attitude  in 
the  light  of  her  new  fear,  she  noticed  that  Starbuck 
was  leaning  over  the  prostrate  Aubert.  He  raised 
him  bodily  from  the  bottom  and  sat  him  down 
heavily  on  the  forward  thwart.  The  man  wobbled 
soddenly,  inert,  his  head  bobbing,  the  saliva  drool- 
ing from  his  chin.  She  watched  Starbuck  scoop 
water  in  his  hand  from  overside  and  dash  it  in  the 
stupid  face.  Again  and  again  he  did  it,  but  the 
water  was  too  warm  to  afford  much  of  a  shock,  and, 
seeing  that  his  efforts  were  useless,  he  let  the  limp 
body  sink  to  the  bottom  of  the  dinghy,  where  it  lay 
on  its  face  until  the  man,  disturbed,  rolled  over  on 
his  back,  an  ugly  sight.     She  turned  away, 

Starbuck  had  picked  up  the  bottle  and  was  exam- 
ining it.  The  cork  was  still  in  but  the  brandy  was 
at  low  ebb.  Not  more  than  a  gill  or  two  was  left. 
He  came  aft  with  it  and  handed  it  to  her,  saying : 

"  I  blame  myself  for  not  looking  out  for  this. 
You  must  keep  it  carefully." 

The  sky  had  grown  quickly  overcast,  and,  as  he 
spoke,  a  pufiF  of  wind  was  visible,  marking  the  water 
to  the  northeast  and  turning  the  glassy  surface  to  a 
dark  purple  as  it  came  on  rapidly.  Starbuck,  erect, 
watched  it  for  a  moment  and  abruptly  seating  him- 
self, took  up  the  oars.  The  first  breath  of  breeze 
cooled  the  hot  air  gratefully,  but  it  soon  passed  and 
though  the  sun  was  hidden,  the  atmosphere  seemed 


IN  THE  WATCHES  OF  THE  NIGHT     47 

to  grow  suddenly  more  oppressive  than  before.  Its 
stillness  was  the  stillness  of  death.  The  sky  had 
turned  to  a  sickly  yellow,  and  the  water,  rippled  a 
moment  before,  now  became  a  smooth,  oily  mass, 
that  rose  and  fell  ceaselessly,  without  life  or  vigour. 

Miss  Channing  could  see  the  anxiety  in  Starbuck's 
face  as  he  scanned  the  clouds,  which  were  now  scud- 
ding fast  before  an  unfelt  wind.  Of  a  sudden  the 
squall  broke.  A  driving  blast  seemed  almost  to 
raise  the  boat  bodily  and  hurl  it  forward  with  a 
rushing  and  gurgling  of  waters  as  the  stern  lifted, 
burying  the  nose  of  the  craft  in  the  sea.  Shipping 
the  short  tiller,  Starbuck  gave  it  into  the  girl's 
hands,  and  shouted  instructions  for  her  to  steer  with 
the  wind.  He  steadied  the  boat  with  the  oars,  keep- 
ing out  of  the  trough  of  the  fast  rising  sea.  The 
squall  was  coming  now  in  sharp  gusts  that  tore  the 
spindrift  from  the  waves  and  sent  it  whirling  over 
the  boat  as  the  craft  leaped  forward.  Cowering 
under  the  blankets  she  had  thrown  about  her  head 
and  shoulders,  the  girl  gripped  the  tiller  with  des- 
peration, holding  against  the  jerk  of  the  rudder  with 
all  her  strength.  Starbuck,  battling  with  the  oars, 
but  pulling  effectively,  nodded  encouragement  from 
time  to  time  as  he  dashed  the  salt  water  from  his 
eyes  with  his  sleeve. 

The  sea  was  mounting  rapidly,  but  by  skillful 
watermanship   the    sailor   kept   the   dinghy's   head 


48  THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

before  it  and  prevented  the  breaking  masses  of 
water  astern  from  engulfing  them.  It  was  hard 
work  at  best,  but  doubly  so  with  a  novice  at  the 
tiller.  However,  the  excitement  of  battle  growing 
in  her  heart,  the  girl  quickly  caught  the  feel  of  the 
water  as  it  leaped  and  fell  away  behind  her  and 
learned  instinctively  to  humour  the  craft  in  its 
course,  thereby  lightening  to  some  extent  the  work 
of  the  oarsman. 

The  wind  gradually  became  steadier  as  the  first 
squall  passed,  the  sky  took  on  a  grayer  shade,  and, 
though  it  still  blew  heavily,  it  was  apparent  that  the 
worst  was  over  for  the  time  being.  The  seas  grew 
more  regular,  the  short  chop  giving  place  to  larger 
but  longer  rollers  that  broke  less  often,  decreasing 
their  menace  to  the  boat.  Starbuck,  with  watchful 
eye,  noted  the  signs  and  breathed  a  sigh  of  relief  at 
the  passing  of  the  flurry.    No  rain  fell. 

"  That's  the  worst  of  it,"  he  cried,  as  he  shook 
the  water  from  his  hair.  "  We  shall  get  more  wind, 
perhaps,  but  it  will  be  wind  that  we  can  count  on 
and  I'm  not  sorry  to  see  it.  It  was  mighty  hot 
awhile  back,  and  besides,  it  will  help  us  on  our  way." 

Cautioning  the  girl  to  keep  the  boat's  head  as  it 
was,  he  rose  and  unlashed  the  mast  with  its  rolled 
up  sail,  which  lay  beside  him  on  the  thwarts. 

"  I  guess  she'll  stand  a  part  of  this,"  he  said,  as 
he  picked  it  up  and  crawled  over  the  Frenchman. 


IN  THE  WATCHES  OF  THE  NIGHT     49 

Quickly  he  stepped  the  light  spar  in  place.  It 
was  a  leg  o'  mutton  sail  that  he  unfurled  but,  on 
second  thought  he  reefed  the  peak  down  some  dis- 
tance, so  that  the  short  boom  rose  at  an  acute  angle 
when  the  sail  filled.  Leading  the  sheet  aft,  he  took 
a  turn  around  a  cleat  and  motioned  Miss  Channing 
to  make  room  for  him  beside  her  in  the  stern.  She 
started  to  move  from  her  seat,  but  the  stern  was 
wide  enough  and  he  signed  for  her  to  sit  still.  He 
took  the  tiller  from  her  hand  and  settled  back  while 
the  boat  leaped  forward  under  its  new  impulse. 

"  Now  we  can  feel  that  our  day's  run  may  amount 
to  something,"  he  said.  "  I  hate  a  pair  of  oars. 
I've  handled  so  many  of  'em." 

Steadied  by  the  bit  of  cloth,  the  dinghy  handled 
well  and  as  the  wind  did  not  increase  perceptibly  in 
vigour,  Starbuck  had  no  difficulty  in  keeping  her 
running  before  it.  By  this  time  it  was  past  mid- 
afternoon  and  the  desire  for  food  and  drink  was 
once  more  becoming  oppressive.  At  his  suggestion 
the  contents  of  the  biscuit  tin  was  counted  and  they 
found  to  their  dismay  that  during  the  squall,  salt 
water  had  splashed  through  the  cut  top,  soaking  and 
ruining  the  upper  layers.  Minus  these,  less  than 
twenty  biscuits  were  left  in  good  condition. 

"  Three  goes  in  twenty,  six  times  and  two  over," 
counted  Starbuck,  as  he  caught  Miss  Channing's 
look  of  dismay.     "  That  makes  six  meals  for  each 


50         THE   CRADLE   OF  THE   DEEP 

of  us,  one  biscuit  apiece  and  two  over  for  the  first 
cabin,  which  must  mean  you,"  he  grinned.  "  You 
better  eat  one  of  those  now  along  with  your  regular 
ration.  It's  easier  to  keep  your  strength  than  to  get 
it  back.  How  are  we  off  for  water?  "  he  continued, 
tapping  the  breaker  with  his  foot.  "  She's  pretty  full 
yet.  It'll  last  longer  than  the  bread,  I'm  thinking. 
Why,"  he  exclaimed,  "  I've  been  in  a  lot  harder  fix 
than  this,  as  far  as  food  goes,  and  as  for  chances,  I 
would  take  a  lay  that  we'll  be  eating  bananas  and 
drinking  cocoanuts  by  this  time  to-morrow,  so 
cheer  up.  Miss  Channing.  You've  been  a  good 
castaway  so  far,"  he  added,  smiling  down  at  her. 

She  shivered  a  little  and  pulled  the  blanket  closer 
about  her  face. 

Aubert,  who  all  through  the  storm  had  lain  as 
one  dead,  now  showed  signs  of  life.  With  a  groan, 
he  raised  himself  on  his  elbow,  and  looked  about, 
dazed,  apparently,  by  the  change  that  had  taken 
place.  He  groped  cautiously  with  his  hand,  evi- 
dently feeling  for  his  precious  bottle,  and  failing  to 
find  it,  sank  back  with  a  sigh.  Starbuck  watched 
him  narrowly.  That  the  man  was  suffering  he  had 
no  doubt.  A  good  portion  of  a  quart  of  brandy  on 
an  empty  stomach  is  an  insult  that  nature  does  not 
soon  forget,  and  the  torture  of  a  burning  thirst  was 
not  the  least  of  the  Frenchman's  pains.  Soon  he 
raised  himself  again  and  motioned  Starbuck  toward 


IN  THE  WATCHES  OF  THE  NIGHT     51 

him.  The  sailor  did  not  move,  and  finally  Aubert 
cried  hoarsely  that  he  wanted  water. 

"  I  expect  he'd  like  some  of  that  brandy  mighty 
well,"  muttered  the  sailor  under  his  breath,  "  but 
he  won't  get  it." 

Urged  by  the  girl,  who  had  been  watching  the 
little  scene,  Starbuck  poured  a  cupful  of  water  from 
the  keg  into  the  bailing  dish  and  shoved  it  forward 
into  the  Frenchman's  grasp,  scarcely  leaving  the 
tiller. 

"  Toss  him  a  biscuit,  too,"  cried  the  girl  impul- 
sively, reaching  toward  the  precious  tin. 

"  No,"  Starbuck  interfered,  "  food  is  the  last  thing 
he'll  want  just  yet.  And  dry  food  at  that.  I  know 
the  signs." 

After  his  drink  of  water  the  Frenchman  subsided 
and  lay  muttering  now  and  then  to  himself,  his 
fingers  twitching  and  his  body  a-quiver  with  nervous 
spasms. 

It  was  evident  now  that  the  sun  was  dropping. 
The  water' took  on  a  darker  tinge  and  the  frosted 
wave  caps  began  to  show  white  against  the  greenish 
seas.  The  wind  had  fallen  to  a  steady  sailing  breeze, 
which,  though  it  seemed  almost  a  gale  to  the  girl, 
was  really  no  more  than  the  small  boat  could  easily 
stand. 

"  If  I  were  you,"  spoke  Starbuck,  almost  in  the 
girl's  ear,  "  I  should  sleep  if  I  could.    You  have  a 


62         THE   CRADLE   OF  THE   DEEP 

good  chance  now  while  things  are  holding  steady. 
Curl  up  on  the  grating  there  and  you  can  rest  your 
head  against  my  knee  to  brace  you  when  she 
pitches." 

The  idea  of  personal  contact  with  this  man  after 
the  fears  he  had  awakened  in  her,  was  so  repugnant 
that  involuntarily  she  shrugged  and  moved  farther 
away  from  him.  But  she  did  not  wish  him  to  read 
her  thouglits  and  made  preparations  to  rest,  though 
she  did  not  expect  to  sleep.  Curled  in  the  bottom, 
she  made  a  pillow  of  her  blanket  and  settled  herself. 
The  tropic  night  fell  rapidly.  No  stars  came  out 
•and  the  boat  sailed  on  with  a  steady  helm,  the  way 
lighted  dimly  by  the  shining  crests  of  the  surround- 
ing seas. 

Starbuck  knew  that  the  progress  the  boat  was 
making  under  sail,  added  to  the  drift  of  the  ocean 
current,  should  sweep  him  into  the  region  of  scat- 
tered islands  in  no  great  length  of  time.  Aware 
that  most  of  the  groups  were  of  low,  coraline  forma- 
tion, he  kept  a  sharp  lookout  and  listened  intently 
to  catch  the  sound  of  breakers  on  reefs,  which  might 
now  crop  out  anywhere.  But  as  the  night  wore  on 
he  heard  and  saw  nothing.  After  a  time  the 
heavens  began  to  clear,  and,  one  by  one,  the  hidden 
stars  came  out,  giving  him  his  course  to  the  south- 
east. Fully  cognizant  of  the  danger  of  the  season's 
shifting  winds,  he  desired  to  the  utmost  to  make  a 


IN  THE  WATCHES  OF  THE  NIGHT     53 

landfall  at  the  earliest  possible  moment,  and  to  this 
end  he  shook  out  the  reef  he  had  taken  in  the  sail. 
The  boat  stood  the  additional  canvas  well  enough, 
though  occasionally  she  buried  her  bows  deep  in  the 
hollows,  sending  showers  of  spray  over  Aubert, 
who,  though  awake,  except  for  now  and  then  a 
groan  of  alcoholic  misery,  lay  silent  on  his  back. 

The  brandy,  his  empty  stomach  and  the  uneasy 
motion  of  the  boat  had  combined  to  make  him  very 
ill,  but  Starbuck  had  no  feeling  for  the  man,  though 
he  knew  what  he  must  suffer.  At  intervals  the  girl 
at  his  feet  shifted  her  position  with  a  little  moan 
of  discomfort.  It  must  be  tough  for  her,  he 
thought,  the  entire  experience.  He  divined  the 
shock  that  her  relative's  death  had  been,  but  even 
greater,  he  imagined,  was  the  isolation  from  every 
tradition  of  security  and  ease  to  which  she  had 
doubtless  been  accustomed  from  her  very  birth.  He 
knew  nothing  of  her  except  her  name  as  it  appeared 
on  the  steamer's  passenger  list,  and  her  place  of 
residence. 

Being  from  the  East  himself,  though  he  had  spent 
little  time  there  since  boyhood,  he  knew  perfectly 
the  sort  of  people  she  had  lived  among,  the  cultured 
Boston  type,  ultra-refined,  perhaps,  from  common 
standards,  but  at  least  representative  of  the  best 
civilization.  Rough  sailor  though  he  was,  his  ex- 
perience was  perhaps  beyond  that  of  many  lands- 


54  THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

men  of  his  years,  his  seafaring  career  from  early 
youth  having  carried  him  into  many  ports  and  asso- 
ciated him  with  many  kinds  of  people.  Untutored 
in  the  niceties  of  life  and  caring  little  for  them,  Star- 
buck  was  of  better  than  the  average  mental  calibre, 
and  had  drawn  wide  knowledge  from  his  observa- 
tion of  human  life  until  it  had  become  a  habit  with 
him  to  label  and  file  away  the  people  he  met  in  the 
category  of  his  mind,  whence  he  could  recall  the 
widely  variant  types  for  the  addition  of  some  new 
individual.  This  girl,  at  first,  had  been  hard  to 
place. 

His  experience  with  her  sex  had  not  been  mark- 
edly limited,  but  she  was  a  new  type  to  him.  Her 
bravery  he  admired.  The  lack  of  all  signs  of 
feminine  hysteria  in  a  difficult  situation  had  puz- 
zled him  not  a  little,  but  her  purely  impersonal  man- 
ner, disdainful  even  in  the  face  of  perfectly  appar- 
ent danger,  was  a  new  sensation.  None  of  the 
women  he  had  known  would  have  taken  such  an 
attitude;  still,  pending  more  definite  conclusions 
concerning  her,  he  was  willing  to  accept  it  and  to 
guage  his  own  behaviour  in  accordance.  One  fact 
was  clear  in  his  mind;  she  considered  him  far  be- 
neath her  in  every  way  and  her  distant  civility  told 
him  plainly  that  he  was  not  expected  to  encroach 
upon  their  acquaintance.  He  did  not  resent  this  but 
was  rather  amused  by  it,  since  he  knew  that  there 


IN  THE  WATCHES  OF  THE  NIGHT     55 

must,  sooner  or  later,  come  a  time  when  she  would 
be  forced  to  seek  his  protection  and  his  services, 
divorced  from  the  present  remnant  of  formality 
which  he  conceived  to  be  demanded  by  his  duty  as 
a  ship's  officer. 

Of  her  appearance  he  distinctly  approved.  Her 
figure,  in  its  short  serge  skirt,  was  trim,  even  though 
the  shirtwaist  she  wore  was  soiled  and  crumpled. 
And  her  hair,  abundant  and  golden  brown,  though 
roughened  by  the  wind  and  dampened  by  the  spray, 
shone  with  health  and  good  grooming.  Her  face, 
ordinarily  rather  pale  as  he  had  seen  her  aboard  the 
ship,  was  now  reddened  by  the  sun.  During  the 
blow,  excitement  had  added  to  its  colour,  and,  with 
her  deep  gray  eyes  bright,  and  her  figure  tense  in  its 
sti^uggle  with  the  bucking  rudder,  the  picture  that 
had  faced  him  from  the  stern  was  still  pleasant  to 
his  mind.  But  her  type,  so  far  as  he  was  able  to 
place  it,  was  one  that  he  did  not  particularly  admire, 
though  he  never  before  had  been  in  such  close  con- 
tact with  it,  and  this  feeling,  together  with  the  habit 
of  duty,  still  strong  in  him,  perhaps  reduced  to  a 
minimum  his  efforts  toward  a  more  personal  rela- 
tionship. 

After  a  time  Starbuck's  thoughts  turned  again  in 
the  direction  of  land  and  safety.  The  Carolines, 
he  knew,  were  sparsely  inhabited  by  a  fairly  peace- 
ful people  of  the  mixed  races  of  Micronesia,  num- 


66  THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

bering  between  thirty  and  forty  thousand  souls,  the 
majority  of  whom  occupied  the  groups  of  islands 
farther  west.  The  chance,  he  thought,  was  rather 
against  any  of  the  atolls  in  this  eastern  region  being 
inhabited,  at  least  by  more  than  a  shifting  popula- 
tion, which  moved  from  group  to  group,  often  for 
no  apparent  reason. 

The  Carolines  were,  he  was  aware,  loosely  admin- 
istered by  Germany,  whose  traders  were  scattered 
among  the  more  important  localities,  and  whose 
ships  made  more  or  less  regular  calls  throughout  the 
archipelago.  To  reach  land,  even  if  nothing  more 
than  the  flimsy  annulus  of  a  coral  atoll,  and  to  be 
taken  off  by  the  first  ship  that  sailed  near  enough  to 
make  out  a  signal,  was  now  Starbuck's  principal 
aim.  To  gain  shelter,  food  and  water  meant  life. 
To  continue  in  this  open  boat  with  what  provisions 
they  now  had,  was  death.  The  issue  was  very 
plain. 

All  through  the  long,  tropic  night  he  steered  to 
the  southwest,  following  the  wind  and  scarcely 
taking  his  eyes  from  the  stars  that  were  his  guide. 


CHAPTER    V 

THE   BATTLE    WITH    THE   WAVES 

Toward  dawn,  when  the  tide  of  human  life  is  at 
its  lowest  ebb,  a  chill  in  the  tropic  air,  combined 
with  lack  of  food,  sent  Starbuck  shivering.  The 
thought  of  the  brandy  bottle  crossed  his  mind,  and 
on  impulse  he  reached  to  where  it  lay  under  his  feet 
and  held  it  up.  Its  lightness  stopped  his  hand  as  he 
was  about  to  draw  the  cork,  and  he  replaced  the 
bottle  with  care.  The  movement  had  taken  only  a 
moment,  but  the  gleam  of  the  glass  had  caught  the 
Frenchman's  eye  as  he  lay  restlessly  awake  between 
the  thwarts  forward.  The  sickness  of  combined  al- 
coholism and  mal  de  mer  had  wrought  in  him  a 
frenzied  desire  for  drink  to  still  his  quivering 
nerves,  and  the  sight  of  liquor  so  close  at  hand  sud- 
denly increased  his  longing  to  a  complete  obses- 
sion. He  could  see  Starbuck,  plainly  outlined 
against  the  silvery  light  from  the  sea,  and  he 
thought  and  planned  how  he  could  gratify  the  thirst 
that  now  was  burning  him  with  the  fires  of  hell. 
He  watched  and  waited. 

67 


58  THE    CRADLE   OF   THE    DEEP 

In  the  darkest  hour,  that  in  the  tropics  precedes 
the  day,  the  strain  of  an  all-night  vigil  was  begin- 
ning to  tell  upon  the  sailor.  His  form  in  the  stern- 
sheets  grew  huddled  and  limp.  He  swayed  as  he  sat 
and  his  head  nodded  once  or  twice,  though  he  still 
mechanically  held  the  tiller  in  a  loose  grip,  subcon- 
sciously keeping  the  boat  steady  before  the  wind. 
The  picture  was  not  lost  upon  the  Frenchman,  who, 
now  alert  and  crafty,  raised  his  head  and  slowly 
brought  himself  to  his  hands  and  knees.  He  crept 
softly  to  the  centre  of  the  boat,  waited,  watched  a 
moment,  then  eased  himself  over  the  thwart  and 
reached  a  trembling  and  tentacle-like  arm  aft  to 
where  the  bottle  lay.  His  hand  touched  something 
soft  and  covered  with  a  cloth.  He  quickly  withdrew 
it,  but  as  he  did  so  a  scream  burst  from  the  girl,. 
whose  body  it  was  he  had  encountered. 

Starbuck  came  to  his  feet  with  a  start.  Instantly 
he  spied  the  half-crouching  form  of  Aubert,  and 
quicker  than  thought  itself  his  right  fist  shot  out, 
catching  the  man  squarely  on  the  mouth.  He  went 
over  backward  with  a  crash,  his  head  striking  hard 
against  the  thwart,  and  there  he  lay,  half  senseless, 
as,  fully  alive  to  his  intent,  Starbuck  stepped  across, 
bent  only  on  punishment. 

But  guideless,  the  boat  gibed  and  the  light  boom, 
swinging  across  with  force,  struck  Starbuck  a  pain- 
ful blow,  barely  grazing  the  head  of  the  girl  a& 


THE  BATTLE  WITH  THE  WAVES       59 

she  half  rose  to  stay  his  hand.  Abandoning  his  pur- 
pose, he  leaped  back  to  the  tiller  and  brought  the 
dinghy  again  before  the  wind. 

"  What  was  it  ?  "  whispered  the  girl.  "  Some 
one  touched  me !  " 

Starbuck  sought  to  control  himself. 

"  Yes,"  he  said,  "  that  scum  of  a  frog-eating 
Frenchman  touched  you.  I  must  have  fallen  asleep 
at  the  helm,  a  nice  thing  for  a  man  to  do,  and  he 
was  after  what  is  left  of  that  bottle  of  brandy.  In 
the  dark  he  didn't  see  you  lying  there  and  his  hand 
struck  you.  Your  scream  roused  me  and  I  hit  him. 
lYou  saw  that  part  of  it." 

The  dawn  was  coming  with  equatorial  suddenness 
and  for  a  second  time  they  saw  the  sun  leap  above 
the  horizon  and  begin  his  scorching  course  through 
the  heavens.  The  wind,  holding  in  the  same  quar- 
ter, now  freshened,  blowing  the  spray  again  into 
their  eyes,  not  ungratefully,  for  the  cool,  salt  smell 
was  refreshing  as  the  new  day  broke. 

Miss  Channing  glanced  at  the  form  of  Aubert. 
His  lips  and  nose  were  cut  and  bleeding  from  the 
heavy  blow,  and,  still  lying  as  he  had  fallen,  he  was 
ghastly. 

"  You  —  you  don't  suppose  you  have  hurt  liim 
badly?"  she  said,  with  a  shuddering  but  anxious 
look  at  the  man's  blood-spattered  countenance. 
"  See,  he  doesn't  move.     He  must  be  stunned." 


60  THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

Starbuck  gave  a  short  laugh  from  which  mirth 
was  absent. 

"  Stunned  ? "  he  said,  grimly,  "  I  hope  he  is. 
Better  men  have  been  stunned  just  that  way  for 
less  than  that.    He  ought  to  be  hung,  not  stunned." 

"  But  aren't  you  going  to  do  anything  for  him  ? 
Are  you  going  to  let  him  lie  there  bleeding?  "  asked 
the  girl  indignantly.     "  It's  brutal.     It's  inhuman." 

"  Well,  Miss,"  returned  Starbuck,  sarcastically, 
"  as  I'm  at  present  the  man  at  the  wheel,  and  as  it's 
no  part  of  a  helmsman's  business  to  tend  battered 
mutineers,  I  guess  I  am  going  to  let  him  lie.  He'll 
come  to  right  enough.     They  generally  do." 

Angry  and  insulted  at  the  man's  cool  refusal  to 
act  on  her  suggestion,  Eleanor  Channing  rose  to 
what  she  considered  the  occasion.  Finding  a  hand- 
kerchief in  the  pocket  of  her  coat,  she  dipped  it  in 
the  sea  and  had  started  to  step  over  the  water 
breaker  toward  the  prostrate  man  when  a  large 
hand  barred  her  way  and  a  low,  stern  voice  bade  her 
stop. 

"  Excuse  me,  Miss,"  it  said,  "  but  I  must  make 
this  man  understand.  There  would  be  no  safety 
now,  either  for  you  or  for  me  if  I  did  not.  Please 
sit  down,  and  do  not  look  at  him  if  the  sight  dis- 
gusts you.  I  appreciate  your  feelings.  You  are 
unused  to  violence  and,"  he  smiled,  "  bloodshed. 
But  it  was  not  brutal;  it  was  necessary." 


THE  BATTLE  WITH  THE  WAVES       61 

Trembling  and  furious  at  being  treated  so  like 
a  child  by  this  man,  she  did  as  she  was  bid.  Pres- 
ently Starbuck  asked  her  to  hold  the  tiller,  appar- 
ently not  noticing  the  tears  of  anger  and  humiliation 
that  swam  in  her  eyes  nor  the  nether  lip  that 
twitched.  Seizing  the  bailing  dish  he  scooped  it 
full  of  water,  and  stepping  toward  Aubert,  soused 
its  contents  full  in  the  man's  face.  The  treatment 
was  at  least  efficacious,  for  almost  instantly  he  came 
to,  looking  up  and  dodging  in  time  to  escape  an- 
other ducking.  His  swollen  lips  were  drawn  back 
in  a  snarl  as  he  muttered  an  imprecation  in 
French. 

"  Here,"  rasped  Starbuck,  "  this  lady  has  pleaded 
mercy  for  you.  You  don't  deserve  it  but  you're 
going  to  get  another  chance;  just  one.  The  next 
move  you  make  to  interfere  in  any  way  with  my 
plans  concerning  this  boat  or  anything  in  it,  I'll  tie 
you  up  hand  and  foot,  and  if  I  feel  like  I  do  now, 
I'll  heave  you  overboard.  If  it  wasn't  for  her  I'd 
have  done  it  long  ago." 

As  he  turned  to  take  the  tiller  from  her  hand  she 
noticed  how  white  and  pinched  he  looked.  The 
ruddy  colour  was  a  sickly  olive,  and  his  eyes  were 
sunken  in  his  head.  His  hair,  drenched  with  the 
night-dew,  was  straggled  about  his  forehead.  He 
had  lost  his  cap,  and  the  sun  was  beginning  to  beat 
down  once  more  in  merciless  rays.     Realizing  the 


62  THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

man's  condition,  sleepless,  except  for  the  scarce  two 
hours  of  rest  he  had  snatched  the  day  before,  she 
was  shocked  at  his  appearance. 

He  sat  down  silently  and  her  little  feeling  of  vic- 
tory at  having  made  him  do  as  she  had  wished,  was 
gone  as  she  noted  the  weariness  of  his  perfunctory 
scanning  of  the  horizon.  Refreshed  by  her  own 
rest,  her  feeling  grew  to  pity,  and  without  realizing 
that  she  did  so,  she  laid  a  hand  on  his  arm. 

"  You  must  have  rest  and  food,  you  know,"  she 
said.     "  Shall  we  eat  a  little  now  ?  " 

His  hunger  was  intense,  but  with  the  biscuit  tin 
in  close  proximity  to  her  as  she  slept,  he  had  for- 
borne to  move  it  lest  she  awake.  Now,  however, 
he  took  the  two  crackers  she  handed  him  and 
munched  one  rapidly.  The  other  he  tossed  forward 
to  Aubert,  but  the  man's  teeth  had  evidently  been 
loosened  by  his  fist  and  it  was  with  some  difficulty 
that  he  chewed  the  pieces  which  he  broke  off  with 
the  aid  of  a  pocket  knife.  Starbuck  eyed  the  knife 
sharply  as  he  ate.  Water  was  served  out  to  all 
three  and  the  day  was  begun. 

With  the  stiff  breeze  the  heat  of  the  sun  was  not 
so  intense  as  the  day  before,  and  good  headway 
was  being  made.  Starbuck,  anxious  to  sight  land 
before  the  fall  of  another  night,  showed  his  skill 
as  a  small  boat  sailor,  humouring  his  frail  craft  and 
getting  all  her  ability  in  return.     He  had  refused  to 


THE  BATTLE  WITH  THE  WAVES       63 

rest  and  with  tired  eyes  kept  a  sharp  lookout  for 
any  speck  that  might  show  itself  above  the  sea. 

Miss  Channing  sat  with  her  elbows  on  her  knees, 
raising  her  head  now  and  then  to  shake  back  the 
hair  that  swept  across  her  face  with  the  following 
wind.  Once  in  a  while  she  rose,  as  if  cramped  by 
want  of  exercise.  On  one  of  these  occasions  she 
stood  longer  than  usual,  gazing  off  to  the  south. 
Suddenly  she  turned  to  Starbuck  and  pointed  ex- 
citedly in  the  direction  she  had  been  looking. 

"  There!  "  she  cried,  "  don't  you  see?  Off  there, 
to  the  left?  It  shows  just  above  the  water.  Oh,  is 
it  land?    Tell  me,  is  it  land?  " 

Starbuck  was  beside  her  in  an  instant.  Quickly 
he  followed  her  gaze  and  looked  long  and  earnestly 
at  what  he  saw. 

"  Yes,"  he  broke  out,  "  it's  land ;  thank  God  for 
it." 

He  put  the  helm  over  slightly,  and  trimming  his 
sheet  aft,  headed  for  the  little  mound  that  now  ap- 
peared, growing  as  they  approached. 

"  It's  land,"  he  said,  as  he  looked,  "  but  it  isn't 
what  I  expected  to  see.  Most  of  these  islands  here- 
abouts are  low,  and  you  generally  see  them  in  clus- 
ters, two  or  three  or  sometimes  more  together  or 
within  a  few  miles.  This  one  looks  to  be  high,  and 
there  is  only  one,  unless  the  others  are  hidden  be- 
hind it." 


64         THE    CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

"  We  may  have  sailed  farther  than  you  think," 
said  the  girl,  still  with  her  eyes  fixed  upon  the  dis- 
tant island.  "  Aren't  we  going  faster  with  the  sail 
hauled  in  ?  " 

Starbuck  made  no  answer  but  gave  all  his  atten- 
tion to  the  boat.  The  wind  had  increased  consider- 
ably as  the  sun  rode  higher,  and  he  was  having  hard 
work  to  keep  the  light  skiff  on  her  course  without 
shipping  water.  The  wind,  too,  seemed  to  be  haul- 
ing slightly  to  the  east  and  the  yellowish  tint  of  the 
sky  off  toward  the  southern  horizon  was  disquiet- 
ing. 

Twenty  miles  away  the  island  had  been  when 
first  they  siglited  it.  Now  it  was  nearing  fast  and 
they  saw  clearly  that  it  was  not  a  low  island  but  one 
evidently  of  volcanic  origin.  The  low  peak  rose 
two  or  three  hundred  feet  above  the  sea,  and  as 
nearly  as  Starbuck  could  judge,  had  a  length  of 
about  three  miles.  In  an  hour  they  were  close 
enough  to  make  out  the  green  of  the  trees  that 
fringed  the  shore,  and  the  white  line  of  breakers 
that  beat  on  the  enclosing  reef. 

This  barrier  now  became  the  problem  that  Star- 
buck  had  to  solve.  The  reefs,  which  are  character- 
istic of  most  of  the  islands  of  the  Pacific,  are  gen- 
erally circular,  often  completely  surrounding  the 
islands  they  protect,  with  the  exception  of  one  or 
more  openings,  generally  found,  in  islands  of  any 


THE  BATTLE  WITH  THE  WAVES      65 

size,  opposite  the  mouth  of  a  brook  or  stream.  Of 
coral  formation,  they  are  most  often  barely  awash 
and  the  breakers  pile  up  over  them  in  roaring 
combers,  which,  even  in  moderate  weather  might 
well  spell  the  fate  of  a  small  boat. 

To  seek  out  an  opening  in  the  sea  that  was  now 
running,  and  to  navigate  it  without  mishap  was  a 
work  of  nicety  and  calculation,  and  Starbuck  anx- 
iously examined  the  line  of  breakers  for  a  gap. 
The  reef  looked  to  be  half  to  three-quarters  of  a 
mile  from  shore  on  this  side  of  the  island,  but  on 
the  westerly  side  it  was  apparently  much  closer. 
Satisfied  that  on  the  windward  side  no  entrance 
could  be  found,  Starbuck  eased  off  his  sheet  and 
took  the  wind  astern  again.  Close,  now,  the  waving 
cocoanut  palms  on  the  shore  stood  inviting  with 
their  shade,  and  other  trees  and  shrubs  darkened 
the  background  farther  inland.  No  signs  of  human 
occupation  were  to  be  seen  and  Starbuck  mentioned 
this  fact  in  surprise,  for  here  was  an  island  worth 
the  while  of  any  Micronesian  dweller.  Richly  fer- 
tile, it  teemed  with  vegetation  growing  in  the  rank 
profusion  of  the  tropic  seas.  Greens  of  every  pos- 
sible shade  embowered  the  land,  with  here  and  there 
a  spot  of  crimson  where  a  scarlet  hibiscus  bloomed. 
Back  from  the  shore  line  the  terraced  side  of  the 
volcano  rose  steeply,  its  summit  gray  and  weather- 
beaten  above  the  line  of  verdure.    The  highest  peak 


66         THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

was  to  the  west,  running  up  into  a  broken  cone,  its 
contour  showing  ragged  against  the  sky.  No  smoke 
issued  from  it,  and  the  seams  and  gullies  in  its  sides 
seemed  to  tell  that  it  had  been  inactive  for  some 
length  of  time. 

As  the  dinghy  bore  farther  to  the  westward,  Star- 
buck  saw  at  last  a  break  in  the  line  of  white,  but  it 
was  in  such  a  position  that  in  order  to  enter  under 
sail  he  would  have  to  round  to  and  run  in  on  the 
wind,  which,  in  the  light,  unballasted  boat,  was  a 
dangerous  trick  to  attempt.  The  seas  were  breaking 
heavily  on  the  coral  barrier,  sending  their  long 
shreds  of  spray  whipping  across  the  quieter  lagoon 
within  and  agitating  the  shallow  water  into  long, 
undulating  rollers,  that  swept  on  until  they  broke 
upon  the  beach.  The  reef  at  the  point  of  the  break 
was  not  above  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  shore,  but 
across  the  gap  the  wash  of  the  waves  churned  the 
water  into  an  angry  froth. 

Starbuck  rapidly  decided  that  his  only  plan  would 
be  to  sail  almost  to  the  break,  bring  the  boat  into 
the  wind,  and  if  possible  by  lufifing,  work  her 
through;  if  not,  the  oars  in  a  last  pinch  might 
save  him.  The  gap  was  perhaps  thirty  yards  in 
width  and  evidently  formed  the  entrance  to  a  deep 
water  channel  within  the  barrier.  The  water  toward 
the  shore  on  each  side  of  this  was  apparently  much 
shallower  as  told  by  its  lighter  colour. 


THE  BATTLE  WITH  THE  WAVES      67 

With  eyes  still  on  the  line  of  foam  ahead,  Star- 
buck  reached  out  and  pushed  the  girl  gently  to  the 
bottom  of  the  boat.  Aubert,  wakened  now  from  his 
lethargy,  excited  by  the  sight  of  land  and  fearful  of 
the  coming  attempt  to  reach  it,  squatted  by  the 
slight  mast,  pointing  and  gesticulating,  talking  rap- 
idly in  his  own  tongue. 

"  Lie  close,"  cautioned  Starbuck,  in  a  voice  loud 
enough  to  be  heard  by  the  Frenchman,  "  we're  com- 
ing about." 

As  he  spoke  he  shoved  the  tiller  hard  down  and 
the  lig'ht  boat  rounded  to  and  swung  up  into  the 
wind.  Rocking  on  the  crest  of  a  huge  sea  that  swept 
under  her,  the  frail  craft  nearly  swamped  in  the 
wash  that"  came  overside,  and  Starbuck,  instantly 
seizing  the  bailer,  tossed  it  to  the  Frenchman  with 
instructions  to  bail  for  his  life.  The  boat  paid  off 
slowly,  and  under  a  slackened  sheet,  heeled  down 
and  headed  for  the  churning,  wave-swept  streak  of 
water  in  which  lay  their  only  hope.  Interminable 
seemed  the  approach.  Aubert,  roused  to  the  fact 
that  upon  his  efforts  his  life  might  depend,  hurled 
water  like  a  madman. 

Near  Starbuck's  feet  crouched  Eleanor  Channing, 
white,  with  staring  eyes,  her  glance  shifting  from 
the  reef  ahead  to  the  rigid  figure  at  the  tiller  and 
sheet,  whose  set  and  hardened  jaw  showed  the 
grimness  of  the  coming  effort.     The  roar  of  the 


68  THE    CRADLE   OF   THE    DEEP 

breakers,  incessant  and  fearful,  filled  her  brain  with 
tumult.  It  was  impossible  to  think  or  to  speak. 
Luffing  to  the  harder  puffs,  Starbuck  eased  the  boat 
toward  the  point  where  a  final  dash  must  be  made. 
Lacking  a  centreboard  the  skiff  was  making  rapid 
leeway  and  unless  he  could  reach  the  break  on  this 
tack  he  would  have  to  stand  out  and  try  again, 
and  the  prospect  of  getting  clear  of  the  breakers 
under  his  lee  was  small  indeed. 

Edging  nearer  and  nearer,  he  was  now  opposite 
the  windward  end  of  the  gap  and  not  more  than 
fifty  yards  away.  Fearing  to  be  caught  and  hurled 
on  the  shoulder  of  the  reef,  he  dared  not  work  closer, 
and  with  a  cry  to  the  others,  Starbuck  let  the  boat's 
head  fall  off  for  the  last  run.  Onward  they  swept, 
the  great  rollers  bearing  down  upon  them  with 
white  crests  like  the  gnashing  teeth  of  some  ele- 
mental monster  chortling  over  its  certain  prey,  the 
blue  green  seas  bearing  them  on  with  resistless 
grip. 

Now,  with  headway  and  leeway  nearly  equal  they 
were  at  the  mouth  of  the  gap.  Fifty  yards  farther 
and  they  would  be  safe.  Spray,  hurled  high  in  the 
air  and  drifted  by  the  wind,  blinded  Starbuck  with 
its  stinging  lash,  as  in  the  mighty  heave  and  roar 
of  waters  the  tiny  craft  struggled  bravely  on.  Cat- 
aracts of  green  rose  above  them,  curling,  swirling, 
threatening  to  engulf  but  sinking  with  unaccom- 


THE  BATTLE  WITH  THE  WAVES      69 

pHshed  purpose  in  a  spread  of  milky  froth,  only  to 
rise  again  with  a  swinging  heave  and  rush  forward 
toward  their  plaything,  the  boat,  that  seemed  a  chip 
in  a  whirling  maelstrom,  tossed  and  wrenched  by  a 
titanic  force. 

Hurled  by  a  billowing  mountain  of  water,  sinking 
in  the  trough  until  the  bottom  must  surely  be 
touched,  rising  again,  up,  up,  with  a  sickening,  tot- 
tering heave,  on  the  foaming  crest  of  a  great  sea, 
the  wind  caught  the  shaking  sail  in  its  rush,  and 
though  Starbuck,  with  the  sheet  in  his  hand  ready 
to  let  go,  was  quick,  the  sudden  onslaught  of  force 
hove  the  little  skiff  down  till  the  water  poured  in 
over  the  gunwale.  A  cracking  split,  hardly  to  be 
heard  amongst  the  babel  of  waters,  and  the  frail 
mast  went  by  the  board.  Relieved  of  the  pressure, 
and  steadied  by  an  instant's  calm  in  the  trough,  the 
dinghy  righted,  but  uncontrolled  now,  wallowed 
broadside  on.  Starbuck  seized  an  oar  and  pulled 
with  all  his  strength.  The  stout  ash  broke  like  a 
splinter.  Kept  right  side  up  by  a  miracle,  the  boat 
was  carried,  whirling  and  tossing,  straight  across 
the  break  toward  the  opposite  end  of  the  barrier, 
where  the  water,  though  quieter,  was  yet  sending 
up  its  sheets  of  spray  as  it  dashed  over  the  sub- 
merged rock.  With  the  other  oar  the  sailor  strug- 
gled manfully  to  gain  way  enough  to  clear  the  inner 
corner   of  the   reef.      The   veins   on   his   forehead 


70  THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

swelled  and  his  knotted  forearms  were  rigid  as  steel 
with  the  effort.  Three  fathoms,  two  fathoms;  an- 
other would  make  it,  but  in  the  midst  of  a  stroke 
the  sea  dropped  out  from  under,  and,  whirled  into 
the  trough,  the  next  wave  caught  the  craft,  flinging 
it  on  high  and  dropped  it,  crashing,  on  the  rocks. 

In  an  instant  Starbuck,  Aubert  and  the  girl  were 
in  the  water.  While  calm  compared  with  the  vor- 
tex outside,  the  sea  here  was  full  of  eddies  that 
caught  at  Starbuck's  legs  as  he  came  up.  Shaking 
the  water  from  his  eyes  and  looking  about  him  he 
saw  the  black  head  of  the  Frenchman  rise  some 
yards  away.  Near  the  man  floated  an  oar,  which 
Starbuck  saw  him  seize.  At  the  same  instant  the 
girl's  head  bobbed  up  suddenly,  almost  within  arm's 
length.  He  reached  out  and  seized  it  by  its  stream- 
ing hair,  shouting  to  Aubert  as  he  did  so  in  mean- 
ingless cries,  half  choked  as  the  weight  of  the  girl 
bore  him  down.  A  wave  washed  over  them  and  as 
they  emerged  her  strangling  sputter  awoke  his 
stunned  faculties.  He  struck  out  strongly  with  his 
free  hand,  not  daring  to  shift  his  grip  for  fear  she 
might  be  torn  from  him.  Holding  still  by  her  hair 
over  his  shoulder  he  battled  his  way  farther  behind 
the  reef,  where  the  seas  no  longer  broke  angrily  but 
rolled  on  in  the  shallower  depth,  shoreward.  The 
Frenchman,  swimming  with  his  oar  some  distance 
away,   was   slowly   nearing   the   beach.      Starbuck 


THE  BATTLE  WITH  THE  WAVES       71 

caught  the  bobbing  of  his  black  head  in  fleeting 
glimpses  as  he  was  lifted  from  the  hollows  to  the 
height  of  the  long  waves.  The  water  was  shoaling 
rapidly  and  beneath  him  he  could  see  the  speckled 
red  and  yellow  coral  and  the  shells  that  formed  the 
lagoon's  bottom. 

Swimming  on  his  back  now,  he  released  his  hold 
of  the  girl's  hair,  and  raising  her  head  out  of  the 
water  on  his  breast,  kicked  his  way  onward.  He  felt 
himself  weakening  fast.  His  breath  came  in  gasps 
as  he  blew  the  water  from  his  mouth.  The  girl's 
weight  was  intolerable,  dressed  as  she  was  in  long, 
entangling  skirts.  He  caught  her  at  the  waist  with 
one  hand  and  tried  to  rip  the  garment  free.  Fail- 
ing, he  lay  back,  fighting  for  air  and  resting  as  well 
as  he  could.  Her  limp  stillness  caused  him  to  shake 
her  until  he  remembered  that  it  is  easier  to  save 
an  unconscious  person  than  one  who  struggles  in  a 
panic  of  fear.  So  he  began  to  swim  again,  slowly 
now,  still  on  his  back  with  her  head  on  his  breast. 
Driven  by  the  long  waves,  he  began  to  hear  the  roar 
of  the  combers  as  they  climbed  the  beach  and  the 
sucking  rush  of  the  undertow  as  it  rasped  the  riffle 
of  shells  and  coral  fragments  in  its  receding  torrent. 
Saving  his  strength  until,  when  his  feet  touched 
bottom,  he  should  need  it  most  against  this  treach- 
erous enemy,  Starbuck  let  the  waves  sweep  him  on. 
At  last  he  felt  the  ground  beneath,  but  only  for  an 


72  THE    CRADLE   OF   THE    DEEP 

instant  as  a  wave  rushed  by  with  green,  curling 
comb  that  toppled,  broke  and  spread  into  a  swirl  of 
foam.  Again  he  touched,  this  time  getting  a  grip 
on  the  sand  only  to  be  torn  loose  again. 

Battered  in  the  very  midst  of  the  breaking  seas 
he  fought  with  what  strength  was  left  to  him  to 
gain  his  feet.  Failing,  he  turned  on  his  breast  and 
with  the  girl  under  his  left  arm,  his  hand  strongly 
twisted  in  her  floating  hair,  he  struck  out  with 
feebling  strokes.  At  last,  after  an  eternity  of  heart 
breaking  effort,  he  felt  his  feet  touch  firmly.  Stand- 
ing for  an  instant,  clasping  the  girl  in  his  arms,  he 
pushed  forward  and  was  dragged  to  his  knees  by 
the  tide  of  the  undertow.  The  next  wave  caught 
and  flung  him  with  his  senseless  burden  to  the  beach 
itself,  receding  and  leaving  him  for  an  instant,  and 
then  returning  in  a  final,  impotent  effort  to  reach 
what  it  had  cast  away.  Starbuck  staggered  up 
toward  the  line  of  litter  that  marked  the  tide's  flood. 
Reaching  it  he  reeled,  and  with  the  winds  of  all  the 
world  roaring  in  his  ears,  his  burden  slipped  from 
him  and  he  sank  beside  it  on  the  sand. 


CHAPTER    VI 

MONSIEUR    AUBERT    EXPLAINS 

The  world  came  back  slowly  to  Starbuck  and  re- 
luctantly he  greeted  the  discomforts  of  returning 
consciousness.  A  dream  of  peace  and  rest  that 
seemed  like  an  eternity  passed  from  him,  leaving 
him  weak  and  dizzy  as  with  an  effort  he  sat  up. 
Close  by,  almost  touching  him,  lay  the  girl  as  she 
had  fallen,  stretched  face  downward  on  the  sand, 
her  head  turned  a  little  to  one  side,  her  wet  hair 
lying  in  a  sodden  mass  along  her  back.  The  sight 
recalled  Starbuck's  senses  to  him  in  a  flash.  Seizing 
her  shoulders  he  turned  her  body  over,  and  ripping 
her  collar  loose,  felt  and  listened  to  her  heart. 
Faintly  he  could  hear  a  murmur.  He  raised  her 
quickly  between  clasped  hands  with  her  head  hang- 
ing downward  for  a  moment,  then,  laying  her 
gently  on  her  back  over  a  hastily  kicked  up  heap 
of  sand,  alternately  drew  her  arms  above  her  head 
and  pressed  them  to  her  sides.  Anxiously  he 
watched.  In  a  few  moments  the  chest  heaved  in  a 
gasping  sigh,  the  eyelids  lifted  and  she  lay  staring 

73 


74         THE    CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

upward,  choking  and  struggling  feebly  to  reach  her 
mouth  with  the  hands  which  he  still  held.  Leaning 
over  he  spoke  quick  words,  assuring  her  that  she 
was  safe.  She  shivered  slightly  in  her  wet  gar- 
ments and  with  a  sigh  closed  her  eyes  and  became 
still.  Alarmed,  he  looked  around  him,  realizing 
that  she  must  be  dried  and  warmed  at  once.  Gath- 
ering her  in  his  arms,  he  walked  slowly  up  the  beach 
to  where  a  mass  of  rock  made  a  break  against  the 
heavy  wind,  and  here  he  laid  her  in  the  warm  sun, 
himself  trembling  with  fatigue. 

An  unutterable  lassitude  and  longing  for  sleep 
•possessed  him  and  it  was  only  by  a  determined 
effort  that  he  fought  off  the  desire. 

Returning  to  the  beach  he  looked  about  for  some 
sign  of  Aubert.  The  last  he  had  seen  of  the  French- 
man was  when  he  had  turned  on  his  back,  less  than 
half  way  to  shore.  The  bobbing  black  head  then  was 
much  nearer  to  the  beach  than  he,  and  the  man, 
evidently  a  good  swimmer  and  aided  by  the  sup- 
port of  the  oar,  must  have  reached  shore  safely. 
Starbuck  walked  to  the  spot  where  he  and  the  girl 
had  lain  in  the  sand,  and  following  west,  came  upon 
another  track,  that  of  a  man  on  his  hands  and  knees. 
As  he  was  about  to  turn  and  follow  it  his  eye  caught 
something  black,  bobbing  in  the  wash  along  the 
shore.  Now  it  was  hurled  almost  high  and  dry, 
but  again,  caught  in  the  back  wash,  it  was  drawn 


MONSIEUR   AUBERT   EXPLAINS        75 

out  of  sight.  He  traversed  the  few  yards  to  the 
spot  at  a  run,  and  dashing  waist  deep  into  the  surf, 
grasped  the  object  and  retreated  safely.  It  was  the 
nearly  empty  brandy  bottle,  which,  floating  when 
the  boat  struck,  had  been  washed  to  land.  For- 
getting the  sand  prints  he  had  intended  to  follow  he 
hastened  to  the  rock  where  the  girl  lay,  and  raising 
her  on  his  knee,  drew  the  cork  with  his  teeth  and 
poured  the  liquor  slowly  into  her  throat.  With  a 
convulsing  cough  she  became  awake. 

"  That's  good,"  he  said,  still  holding  her  with 
an  arm  beneath  her  shoulders.  "  Drink  some 
more." 

Without  voicing  a  protest,  she  swallowed  a 
mouthful  of  the  burning  stuff,  which,  though  it 
scorched  her  throat  raw,  brought  a  genial  glow  to 
her  chilled  body,  and  blood  to  her  blue  lips.  She 
hazily  wondered  if  the  Frenchman  had  brought  the 
bottle  ashore,  and  what  Starbuck  had  done  with 
him.  Womanlike,  she  viewed  her  soaked  garments 
in  dismay.  Her  stockings  fell  about  her  ankles  and 
her  skirt  was  coming  off.  She  put  her  hands  up 
and  feeling  the  sticky  mass  of  wet  hair  with  particles 
of  sand  adhering  to  it,  abandoned  the  attempt  to 
twist  it  about  her  head.  Slight  as  these  efforts 
were,  they  exhausted  her  surprisingly,  and  limp  and 
weak,  she  leaned  languidly  against  the  rock.  Star- 
buck  stood  looking  at  her. 


76  THE   CRADLE   OF   THE    DEEP 

"  If  I  were  you,"  he  said,  "  I  would  lie  down  and 
sleep  while  I  go  and  look  for  the  Frenchman.  He 
got  ashore  all  right  enough,"  he  continued  as  he 
caught  the  ghost  of  an  inquiry  in  her  eyes.  "  I  saw 
his  tracks  where  he  crawled  up  the  beach.  We  are 
going  to  want  food  pretty  quick,"  he  went  on,  "  but 
it's  easy  to  find  on  this  island.  Hear  that!"  and 
he  held  up  his  hand  with  a  grin,  as  a  falling  cocoa- 
nut  hit  the  sand  with  a  thump,  not  six  yards 
away. 

Picking  it  up  he  brought  it  to  her. 

"  There's  food,"  he  said,  still  smiling,  "  better 
than  ship's  biscuit,  and  better  than  lots  of  other 
things  that  are  better  than  those." 

As  he  spoke,  he  took  a  knife  from  his  pocket  and 
commenced  carving  at  the  tough  shell..  After  a 
moment  he  broke  the  nut  impatiently  against  a  rock 
and  offered  her  one  of  the  parts,  together  with  his 
knife. 

"  Or  no,  wait,"  he  exclaimed,  "  I'll  get  you  a 
better  spoon  than  that." 

He  walked  down  the  beach  and  returned  with  a 
small  shell,  polished  bright  by  the  scour  of  the  sea 
and  sand.  Offering  it,  he  picked  up  the  remainder 
of  the  nut,  and  with  a  shell  of  his  own  began  scoop- 
ing out  the  thick,  creamy  mass  that  adhered  to  it. 
Watching,  she  followed  suit  wearily,  but  brighten- 
ing with   pleasure   as    the   cool,    sweet   substance 


MONSIEUR  AUBERT  EXPLAINS       77 

soothed  her  throat  and  mouth.  Hungrily,  almost 
eagerly  she  finished  the  shell. 

"Another?"  he  inquired,  looking  up  from  his 
busy  meal.  "  Lots  of  'em  all  around.  No  limit 
on  your  appetite  here,"  he  said,  as  with  mouth  full, 
he  waved  his  bit  of  shell  toward  the  long  line  of 
cocoa  palms  that  fringed  the  length  of  beach.  "  Get 
you  fifty-seven  varieties,"  he  began  again,  "  all 
flavours.  As  soon  as  I  feel  like  climbing  we'll 
have  salad  and  wine  and  milk  and  other  things." 

The  girl  leaned  back  and  closed  her  eyes. 

"  No,"  she  murmured,  "  no,  thank  you.  I  am 
very  tired,  and  I  have  heard  that  people  should  not 
eat  much  after  being  half  starved." 

"  Why,  that's  so,  too,"  he  returned.  "  I  never 
thought  of  that.  Maybe  we'd  better  go  without 
dessert  this  time;  and  I'll  tell  the  chef  to  have 
something  fancy  for  dinner." 

In  spite  of  herself  the  girl  smiled.  "  Perhaps  Mr. 
Aubert  is  a  chef  in  disguise,"  she  said. 

"Mister  O'Bare,  is  it?  I'd  forgotten  him.  I'd 
better  look  him  up,  I  guess,  and  see  if  a  cocoanut 
meenoo  is  in  his  line.  Likely  he's  made  a  pig  of 
himself  and  is  pretty  sick  by  this  time.  Besides, 
he's  got  something  I  need  in  my  business,"  said 
Starbuck,  starting  to  his  feet.  "  You  lay  quiet  in 
the  sun  and  dry  your  clothes  while  I  take  a  look 
around." 


78         THE    CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

She  nodded  and  he  walked  away.  Deadly  weary 
himself,  he  dared  not  rest  until  he  had  discovered 
the  whereabouts  of  the  third  member  of  the  boat's 
party,  who  might,  for  all  he  knew,  be  planning  a 
stealthy  vengeance  for  the  indignities  and  insults 
he  had  suffered.  Starbuck  hurried  to  the  tracks 
in  the  sand  and  followed  them  cautiously  to  the 
line  of  the  undergrowth.  Suddenly  he  stopped 
short.  The  man  he  sought  was  lying  peacefully  on 
his  back,  asleep.  Slowly  Starbuck  stooped  and 
looked  at  him,  then  swiftly  but  carefully  went 
through  his  pockets,  one  after  another  and  with- 
drew with  his  booty.  Sitting  down  on  the  beach, 
he  sorted  out  a  pocket  knife  with  three  blades,  a 
pair  of  needles  and  a  corkscrew  in  the  handle,  a 
small  comb,  a  dollar  and  a  half  in  nickels  and  silver 
and  an  open-faced  gold  watch.  There  was  also  a 
handkerchief,  some  letters  and  a  small  bunch  of 
trunk  keys.  Returning  the  handkerchief  and  the 
letters  to  the  sleeping  man's  coat,  the  sailor  wrapped 
the  remaining  articles  in  his  own  handkerchief  and 
slipped  the  parcel  in  his  pocket. 

Returning  to  the  beach,  he  looked  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  reef.  The  waves,  long  and  regular, 
rolled  in  swiftly  in  unceasing  succession,  topped  now 
by  patches  of  white;  new  formed  crests,  born  of 
the  rising  wind.  But  they  were  empty  of  that  which 
he  sought.     No  wreckage  from  the  lost  boat  ap- 


MONSIEUR  AUBERT   EXPLAINS        79 

peared  and  he  turned  his  gaze  to  the  sand.  The  oar, 
which  had  aided  Aubert  to  gain  the  shore,  lay  at  the 
water's  edge  some  distance  below  where  the  man 
had  landed  and  Starbuck  picked  it  up,  noting  with 
satisfaction  that  its  copper  tip  was  intact.  Farther 
on  he  saw,  floating  in  the  water,  the  mast  and  sail 
with  boom  attached,  and  again  dashing  into  the 
surf  he  secured  it.  Still  farther  on  he  found  the 
pieces  of  the  oar  he  had  broken  and  the  boathook. 
This  seemed  to  be  the  extent  of  the  flotsam  and  he 
made  his  way  back,  scanning  the  sea  as  he  went. 
Suddenly  he  cried  out.  There,  courtesying  on 
the  waves  was  something  dark  and  round,  the 
water  breaker,  which,  just  buoyant  enough  to  keep 
itself  awash  on  the  surface,  was  slowly  being  driven 
landward.  Fifty  yards  away  it  bobbed,  advanced 
and  hesitated,  until,  after  a  seemingly  never  ending 
series  of  progressions,  it  came  within  reach.  With 
this  secured,  Starbuck  seemed  satisfied  with  his 
search.  The  biscuit  tin  with  its  open  top  he  knew 
must  be  at  the  bottom.  There  had  been  nothing 
else  loose  in  the  boat  except  the  bedding,  which 
would  take  longer  to  reach  shore  if  it  indeed  came 
at  all.  Gathering  together  his  prizes  and  heaping 
them  all  upon  the  sail,  he  hauled  the  little  load  to 
the  rock,  where  the  girl  still  lay  with  her  head  upon 
her  arms  and  her  hair  spread  out  richly  over  her 
shoulders,  drying  in  the  sunshine. 


80         THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

The  heat  behind  the  rock  out  of  the  wind  was  dis- 
agreeably intense,  and  fearing  an  ill  effect,  the  sailor 
stepped  into  the  undergrowth,  and  with  his  knife 
cut  several  green  leaves  from  a  breadfruit  tree. 
These  he  wove  into  a  rough' mat  and  placed  it, 
supported  by  two  sticks,  against  the  rock  above  the 
sleeping  girl.  He  made  another  shade  for  himself 
and  under  it  flung  his  tired  body. 

The  w'estering  sun  was  dropping  toward  the 
horizon  when  Eleanor  Channing  awoke,  refreshed 
and  rested  from  the  strain,  the  turmoil  and  the 
peril  of  the  preceding  hours.  She  noted  with  sur- 
prise the  shelter  that  Starbuck  had  placed  for  her 
protection,, divining  its  purpose  at  once  though  the 
rock  now  hid  the  blazing  sun.  Turning,  she  saw 
Starbuck  himself,  asleep  in  the  shadow  a  few  feet 
distant,  and  as  she  looked  on  him  she  was  conscious 
of  varying  emotions.  She  was  aware  that  he  had 
saved  her  from  death;  that  with  danger  to  himself 
and  with  great  courage,  he  had,  unaided,  brought 
her  senseless  across  that  stretch  of  broken  water 
and  had  carried  her  to  land,  revived  her  and  cared 
for  her  with  gentleness  and  consideration. 

But  the  fact  that  she  owed  him  her  life  did  not 
stand  out  so  prominently  as  the  thought  of  his 
kindness  and  care.  Rough,  unmannerly,  abrupt, 
brutal  perhaps  he  might  be,  but  his  treatment  of  her 
so  far  had  been  almost  delicate,  or  at  least  unob- 


MONSIEUR   AUBERT   EXPLAINS       81 

trusive  and  considerate.  Suddenly  she  noticed  that 
the  neck  of  her  waist  was  torn  far  down  and  she 
flushed  hotly  as  she  remembered  coming  back  to 
consciousness  under  his  ministrations.  Her  hair, 
sticky  with  salt,  was  streaming  uncomfortably 
about  her,  but  opening  a  small  bag  she  wore  at  her 
belt,  now  dry  and  puckered  after  its  soaking,  she 
took  from  it  a  comb  and  a  few  shell  pins  and  pro- 
ceeded to  straighten  and  knot  up  her  wild  locks  into 
some  semblance  of  neatness.  She  stood  up  and 
looked  about  her. 

A  long,  curving  beach  ran  to  the  southwest  around 
the  point  of  the  island,  while  to  the  eastward  it 
made  a  straighter  line,  apparently  for  several  miles. 
Down  the  length  of  it  she  could  see  no  trace  of 
the  work  of  human  hands,  nothing  but  the  sand,  the 
sea  and  the  long  line  of  palms  that  edged  the  shore, 
coming  down  near  to  the  water  in  some  places  and 
in  others  receding  farther  up  the  gentle  slope.  Evi- 
dently the  island,  or  this  side  of  it  at  least,  was 
uninhabited. 

Uninhabited !  The  thought  struck  her  suddenly, 
as  if  it  had  never  occurred  to  her  before.  Unin- 
habited !  Cast  away  on  a  desert  island !  In  the  two 
days  after  the  sinking  of  the  steamer,  while  in  the 
frail  boat  that  was  then  all  the  world,  her  chief 
desire  had  been  to  reach  land.  She  had  not  been 
troubled  with  doubts  of  its  hospitality,  nor  had  she 


82         THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

given  much  thought  to  the  kind  of  land  it  was  likely 
to  be.  If  it  was  dry  and  stable  it  was  enough. 
Vaguely  she  had  thought  of  land  as  everywhere  the 
same.  The  only  coast  she  knew  was  the  rugged 
shore  of  her  New  England,  where  at  almost  no 
point  could  one  be  cast  away  without  meeting  signs 
of  occupation,  and  in  all  likelihood,  the  sympathetic 
and  outstretched  hands  of  comfortable  country- 
folk, waiting  to  offer  succor  to  seafarers  in  distress. 

To  be  sure,  there  was  nothing  frightful  in  a 
shore  of  waving  palms,  whose  God-given  usefulness 
to  the  poor  castaway  she  had  gratefully  seen  illus- 
trated by  the  cocoanut,  but  as  she  stood  alone  on 
the  beach,  gazing  first  one  way  and  then  another, 
it  was  borne  in  swiftly  upon  her  that  she  was  out  of 
her  world;  that  friends,  everything  in  life  that  she 
held  dear  were  gone,  perhaps  for  ever,  and  that  she, 
Eleanor  Channing,  was  here  on  an  unknown,  and 
for  all  she  knew,  uncharted  bit  of  sand,  imprisoned 
and  resourceless  except  through  her  own  efforts, 
and  in  the  doubtful  companionship  of  a  sailor  and 
a  drunken  foreigner.  Hot,  stinging  tears  rushed  to 
her  eyes,  as  helpless,  hungry,  her  clothes  in  shreds, 
her  skin  burning  under  the  glare  of  the  sun,  she 
stood,  a  pitiful  figure  of  youth  and  distress,  alone 
on  this  wild  refuge  in  the  midst  of  a  desert  of 
waters. 

How  would  these  men  act  toward  her?     How 


MONSIEUR   AUBERT   EXPLAINS        83 

could  she  protect  herself?  How  long  would  it  be 
before  a  ship  appeared  to  take  her  away?  What 
should  she  do  for  clothes?  As  the  last  of  the  series 
of  questions  flitted  through  her  mind  she  glanced 
downward  at  her  draggled  skirt.  Her  shoes,  low 
ones,  and  none  too  stout  at  best,  had  been  soaked 
until  the  leather  had  turned  to  a  sort  of  greenish 
pulp,  and  drying,  had  cracked  and  split  in  half  a 
dozen  places.  Even  now  the  sand  forced  itself  into 
the  holes  and  hurt  her  when  she  stepped.  The 
beach  was  formed  of  shells  and  coral  fragments, 
mixed  and  ground  together  by  the  force  of  wind 
and  sea,  and  the  sharp-edged  particles  cut  merci- 
lessly. Suddenly  she  stopped  as  she  saw  before  her 
the  track  in  the  sand  which  Starbuck  had  described. 
It  gave  her  a  distinct  sensation,  such  as  Crusoe  may 
have  felt  at  the  sight  of  the  footprint.  She  looked 
up  in  the  direction  of  the  trail,  and  there,  at  the  edge 
of  the  undergrowth  stood  Aubert.  As  she  looked 
he  stepped  forward  out  of  the  shadow  of  the  trees 
and  approached. 

"  Good  evening,"  he  said  in  English.  "  I  am  most 
glad  to  see  that  you  have  recovered.  Was  it  not 
terrible?  And  my  mal  de  mer!  It  is  quite  vanished 
and  I  am  at  last  myself  again." 

Extraordinarily  different  was  the  manner  of  this 
man  from  him  whom  she  remembered  as  a  wretched 
creature  moaning  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat,  with' 


84  THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

blood  flowing  from  his  bruised  mouth,  mumbling 
over  crumbs  of  a  ship's  biscuit.  How  he  had 
reached  the  shore  she  did  not  know,  but  she  was 
aware  that  he  had  not  assisted  at  her  own  rescue. 
However,  she  was  not  prepared  to  condemn  him  for 
this,  at  least  unheard,  and  under  the  circumstances 
she  thought  it  well  to  make  friends  with  him,  for,  al- 
though he  had  presented  himself  hitherto  in  a  most 
unfavourable  light,  he  now  seemed  to  have  the  bear- 
ing and  manners  of  returning  decency. 

"  And  you,  Monsieur  Aubert,  I  see  that  you  are 
none  the  worse  for  your  adventure.  I  am  glad  that 
we  all  were  so  fortunate  as  to  reach  land  alive." 

"  Ah,  Mademoiselle,"  he  broke  in,  "  you  know 
•my  name.  I  am  fortunate  to  have  your  interest." 
He  spoke  with  a  very  little  accent,  though  he  chose 
his  words  at  times  with  the  lack  of  accuracy  in  Eng- 
lish idiom  that  is  common  to  most  men  of  his  race. 
His  face  grew  a  thought  serious. 

"  I  am  desolated,"  he  said,  "  at  the  opinion  you 
must  have  of  me.  I  beg.  Mademoiselle  Channing, 
that  you  will  believe  me  when  I  say  that  it  was  not 
I,  myself,  who  lay  in  that  terrible  boat,  but  another ; 
a  creature  driven  insane  with  the  horrible  mal  de 
mer,  suffering  tortures  inexpressible  from  first  to 
last.  It  is  always  so,"  he  explained  volubly. 
"  Whenever  I  am  forced  to  go  in  the  small  boat  it 
is  so.     My  sickness  begins  at  once  and  my  head 


MONSIEUR   AUBERT   EXPLAINS        85 

whirls  until  my  brain  becomes  extinguished  with 
the  suffering,  and  then  I  am  not  myself,  Henri 
Aubert,  but  a  beast.  Ah,  Mademoiselle,  what  I  suf- 
fered in  that  boat  none  shall  ever  know,  and  how 
I  was  treated  by  that  officer  of  the  ship !  There  was 
no  need,  Mademoiselle,  no  need  to  treat  me  so, 
when  I  could  not  rise  and  defend  myself.  But  that 
is  past,  is  it  not  ?  It  shall  be  forgotten  like  a  dream, 
a  nightmare,  that  one  shudders  to  remember.  Is  it 
not  so  ?  And  now  that  we  are  here  together  we  will 
be  friends,  yes  ?  And  I  will  even  forgive  the  officer 
his  blow  that  we  may  exist  in  peace  until  a  ship 
comes  for  us." 

Eleanor  Channing  listened  to  this  remarkable  ex- 
planation with  amazement.  That  the  sea  had  any 
such  effect  upon  Aubert  she  could  hardly  believe, 
yet  she  knew  that  some  people  were  driven  almost 
to  insanity  by  the  ocean  malady  and  was  more  in- 
clined to  accept  his  statement  on  this  account.  His 
great  change  in  appearance  suggested  that  there 
might  be  some  truth  in  his  words,  and,  after  all, 
what  difference  did  it  make  so  long  as  he  gave  her 
the  respect  he  now  showed? 

"  There  is  one  thing,  Mademoiselle,  that  it  is 
necessary  for  me  to  tell  you,"  said  Aubert,  glancing 
about  and  speaking  quietly  as  he  came  closer  to  her. 
"  It  is  with  regret  that  I  speak  but  it  is  best  that 
you  should  be  warned.    It  is  about  the  officer  of  the 


86         THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

ship,  he  whom  you  believe  to  be  your  friend  and 
protector.  Not  all  the  time  in  that  -miserable  boat 
was  I  mad  with  my  illness.  I  had  intervals  of  mo- 
ments when  my  reason  returned  and  I  saw  and 
heard  and  felt  again.  One  of  these  blessed  occa- 
sions came  last  night  while  you  were  sleeping.  I 
awoke  from  my  horrible  stupor  and  saw  you  not. 
'At  first  I  had  a  great  fear  that  you  had  fallen  into 
the  sea,  but  no,  it  was  your  form  I  saw  in  the  bot- 
tom of  the  boat.  The  officer  was  sitting  in  the 
stem.  He  was  bending  down  over  you.  He  reached 
out  his  hand  and  touched  you.  The  look  in  his  eyes 
was  terrifying  and  I  could  not  bear  it  that  harm 
should  befall.  As  he  leaned  down  I  leaped  to  your 
defence.  I  heard  you  scream,  cry  out  in  fear,  and 
I  raised  my  hand  to  strike  when  he  felled  me  with 
one  terrible  blow.  Ah,  Mademoiselle,  it  was  truly 
an  evil  moment.  He  struck  me  here,  on  the  mouth, 
and  I,  weak  with  my  indisposition,  fell  back  nearly 
senseless.  Then  my  illness  returned  fourfold  and 
I  was  very  sick  and  knew  no  more.  This,  Made- 
moiselle, I  consider  it  my  duty  as  a  man  of  honour 
to  tell  you,  that  you  may  be  advised." 

"  Monsieur  Aubert !  "  cried  the  girl,  horror-struck 
as  she  realized  the  import  of  the  Frenchman's 
words,  "  is  this  the  truth  you  are  speaking  ?  I  can- 
not believe  it.  This  man  has  shown  me  nothing 
but  respect.    He  is  not  a  gentleman,  perhaps,  but  he 


MONSIEUR  AUBERT  EXPLAINS       87 

has  acted  as  an  honourable  man  should  act  toward 
a  woman  who  is  alone  and  helpless.  I  cannot  be- 
lieve this." 

"  Yet  it  is  the  truth,"  replied  the  Frenchman. 
"  You  were  sleeping.    I  saw  all." 

In  a  flash  the  situation  came  back.  She  remem- 
bered the  touch  that  had  awakened  her,  the  blow, 
and  the  story  that  Starbuck  had  told.  She  remem- 
bered also  his  suggestion  that  she  should  rest 
against  him,  and  which  she  had  declined  in  silence. 
Could  it  be  that  Aubert  was  speaking  the  truth? 

"  And  now,"  spoke  Aubert  again,  "  now  that  I 
have  told  you  this,  I  beg  that  you  will  not  accuse 
him  of  it.  If  we  three  are  alone  upon  this  land  we 
must  have  peace.  We  must  protect  each  other.  I 
shall,  with  your  permission.  Mademoiselle,  or  per- 
haps without  it,  make  it  my  duty  to  guard  you  and 
watch  over  you.  I  am  not  a  match  for  the  other  in 
brute  strength.  No,  I  am  not  a  brute,  but  I  am  a 
man,  Mademoiselle,  and  my  life  shall  be  forfeit 
before  harm  comes  to  you." 

With  a  bow  the  Frenchman  paused,  and  with  a 
manner  almost  debonair,  in  strange  contrast  to 
his  battered  appearance,  offered  his  escort  to  a 
stream  of  water,  which  he  said  he  had  found  not 
far  distant  and  which  flowed,  as  he  described  it, 
through  a  valley  of  surpassing  loveliness.  Half 
willingly  she  turned  to  follow,  for  the  thought  of 


88  THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

cool,  fresh  water  was  most  alluring,  but  as  she  did 
so  she  stopped  short  at  the  sight  of  Starbuck  com- 
ing along  the  beach. 

With  a  swinging  stride  he  rapidly  approached, 
and  Aubert  stepped  aside  to  let  him  pass.  Starbuck 
gave  the  Frenchman  a  look  of  passing  contempt  and 
stopped. 

"  I  missed  you  when  I  awoke,"  he  said,  "  and 
came  in  search.  I  was  also  going  to  look  for  water. 
There  should  be  a  brook  here  somewhere,  opposite 
the  break  in  the  reef,  and  a  cool  drink  would  not  be 
the  worst  thing  in  the  world." 

The  Frenchman  broke  in  eagerly. 

"  I  have  found  water,  Monsieur,"  he  said.  "  It 
is  just  here.     Permit  me  to  show  you." 

Starbuck  paused  and  regarded  the  man  with 
amazement.  That  the  crawling,  groaning  creature, 
who  had  lain,  from  one  cause  or  another,  through- 
out the  voyage  of  the  dinghy  like  a  man  half  dead, 
should  now  be  on  his  two  feet,  apparently  calm, 
with  speech  on  his  tongue  and  confidence  in  his  tone, 
was  a  surprise  that  almost  startled  him. 

"  And  when,"  he  said,  looking  Aubert  over  from 
head  to  foot,  "  did  you  come  to  life?  " 

There  was  a  sneer  in  the  tone  that  made  the 
Frenchman  colour. 

"  Sir,"  he  said,  "  I  have  just  explained  to  this 
lady  that  I  was  not  responsible  for  my  deportment 


MONSIEUR   AUBERT   EXPLAINS        89 

in  that  terrible  time  when  we  were  in  that  boat.  I 
have  been  ill,  Monsieur,  but  now  that  I  am  on  the 
firm  earth  once  more,  I  am  myself  again." 

To  Starbuck  he  now  explained  the  nature  of  his 
idiosyncrasy  against  small  boats,  declaring  with 
fervour  that  he  had  practically  been  out  of  his  mind 
from  the  time  the  ship  went  down  until  he  was 
washed  up,  half  dead,  on  the  shores  of  this  island. 
Starbuck  heard  him  through.  It  was  plain  that  he 
did  not  believe  a  word. 

However,  he  said  little.  He  was  willing  to  let 
the  past  record  of  Aubert  remain  closed,  for  he 
recognized  in  the  man's  attempt  to  excuse  himself, 
merely  a  desire  to  save  his  face  before  a  woman. 

"Well,  Mr.  O'Bare,"  drawled  Starbuck,  fixing 
him  with  a  sarcastic  eye,  "  if  I  were  you  I  would 
stay  on  this  island  for  the  rest  of  my  natural 
life  before  I  would  risk  my  intellect  in  a  boat 
again." 

The  brook,  which  tumbled  its  joyful  way  down 
to  the  sea  from  the  height  of  the  land,  flowed 
through  a  valley  that  was  delightful  with  the  shade 
of  huge  palms  near  the  shore,  and  breadfruits  and 
plantains  farther  inland.  The  party  of  three  ex- 
plored, for  a  short  distance,  the  flower-strewn  glade, 
Starbuck,  with  the  air  of  a  man  familiar  with  sucK 
scenes,  pointing  out  the  various  trees  and  plants 
and  calling  them  by  name.     The  little  stream,  cool 


90  THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

from  the  shadowed  depths  of  the  forest  was  eagerly- 
drunk  from,  Starbuck  making  two  hasty  cups  from 
the  halves  of  a  cocoa  shell.  The  first  sip  of  good 
water  was  a  delight  and  the  three  drank  repeatedly, 
■washing  down  the  sweet  contents  of  ripe  nuts, 
which  they  all  ate  with  a  relish. 

Then  Starbuck  called  a  council.  As  an  officer 
of  the  ship,  he  said,  he  believed  it  to  be  his  duty  to 
protect  its  passengers  and  to  serve  them  until  they 
were  safe  again,  or  at  least  back  in  civilization. 
So  far  as  he  knew,  this  was  an  uninhabited  island, 
a  fact  that  he  considered  strange  in  the  light  of  its 
size  and  fertility.  Of  course,  on  the  other  side 
there  might  be  a  native  village,  but  here  there  were 
no  signs  of  occupation,  either  past  or  present.  He 
stated  that  he  was  familiar  with  many  of  the  fruits 
of  this  latitude,  having  visited  a  number  of  similar 
islands  during  his  life  at  sea.  There  was  no  danger, 
he  told  them,  from  wild  beasts  for  there  was  none. 
Rats  might  be  plentiful,  he  said,  but  were  scarcely  to 
be  feared.  Pigs  were  sometimes  raised  by  the 
natives  and  roamed  at  will  through  the  forests,  but 
he  had  so  far  seen  no  signs  of  them. 

He  explained  at  length  the  geographical  position 
of  the  island  as  he  believed  it  to  be,  and,  while  he 
held  out  no  false  hopes  of  being  speedily  taken  off, 
he  declared  that  such  an  island  would  not  go  for 
long  without  a  visit  from  some  of  the  German 


MONSIEUR  AUBERT   EXPLAINS        91 

traders,  who  carried  on  the  traffic  of  the  Caroline 
sea. 

For  the  present,  he  proposed  that  they  should 
make  an  inventory  of  all  the  articles  they  possessed 
and  turn  all  those  of  use  into  the  common  treasury, 
to  be  used  by  any  of  them  when  needed,  but  to  be 
always  replaced  when  they  had  served  their  turn. 
He  produced  the  things  he  had  taken  from  the 
Frenchman's  pockets,  still  tied  in  his  handkerchief, 
which  Miss  Channing  at  once  recognized  by  its 
green  striped  border,  but  unblushingly  he  offered 
not  the  slightest  explanation  of  how  he  had  obtained 
them,  nor  did  the  Frenchman  ask  one.  She  noticed 
this  but  did  not  comment  on  it,  though  she  thought 
it  strange  that  Aubert  should  have  permitted  him- 
self to  be  robbed  in  this  high-handed  manner  with- 
out a  protest. 

Now  the  shadows  in  the  valley  were  deepening 
and  Starbuck  bestirred  himself  to  find  a  place  to 
sleep.  With  a  few  sticks  of  hibiscus  wood,  and  with 
plantain  and  breadfruit  leaves  for  a  thatch,  he  con- 
structed a  rough  sort  of  wigwam,  which  he  pre- 
sented to  Miss  Channing  as  her  temporary  quarters. 
Inside  he  placed  a  quantity  of  grass  and  invited  her 
to  enter. 

The  fast  falling  night  closed  in  upon  them,  warm, 
starlit  and  moonless.  The  wash  of  the  waves  gave 
a  steady  undertone  through  the  trees,  the  few  birds. 


92         THE    CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

ceased  calling  and  a  hush  fell  on  the  valley.  The 
girl  retired  to  her  shelter,  while  the  two  men  made 
their  couches  in  the  open  at  a  little  distance. 
Aubert  was  soon  sleeping,  but  Starbuck  sat  at  the 
foot  of  a  tree,  his  back  against  it,  waiting  through 
the  long  silent  hours  for  the  new  day. 


CHAPTER   VII 

TWO    MEN    AND   A    WOMAN 

As  he  sat  with  arms  folded  and  head  thrown 
back,  gazing  up  at  the  rift  of  azure  sky  that  showed 
through  the  waving  tops  of  the  palms,  Starbuck 
thought  of  the  girl  in  the  frail  shelter  he  had  built 
for  her.  He  could  hear  her,  now  and  then,  as  she 
turned  restlessly  on  her  couch  of  grass,  and  he  won- 
dered whether  she  slept,  or  whether,  wearied  in  body 
but  preternaturally  alert  in  mind,  she  was  lying 
there  thinking  of  the  coming  days  and  weeks;  for 
Starbuck  did  not  disguise  the  fact  from  himself, 
though  he  tried  to  keep  it  from  the  others,  that  it 
might  be  a  long  time  before  relief  came. 

During  the  dark  hours  he  set  himself  to  formu- 
late some  sort  of  plan  whereby  this  little  community 
of  three  strangely  assorted  souls  could  best  live  at 
peace  with  one  another.  The  girl  he  knew  to  be 
naturally  courageous,  but  he  could  readily  see  that 
she  was  rapidly  letting  herself  fall  into  a  state  of 
nervousness  and  apprehension.    Hitherto  her  accept- 

93 


94         THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

ance  of  whatever  services  he  had  rendered  her  had 
been  marked  by  reserve  of  manner,  plainly  intended 
to  keep  him  at  a  distance.  As  to  Aubert's  status 
with  her  he  had  not  seen  enough  to  judge,  but  he 
knew  that  she  must  have  formed  a  thoroughly  poor 
opinion  of  him  while  in  the  boat,  and  the  man's 
queer  story  of  delirium  could  hardly  have  been  con- 
vincing. She  had  seemed  to  accept  it,  he  believed, 
as  he  had  himself,  for  the  sake  of  whatever  har- 
mony was  possible  in  their  enforced  companion- 
ship. 

He  admitted  to  himself  that  he  admired  the 
girl  for  the  steady  nerve  she  had  displayed,  but  as 
to  whether  she  thought  well  or  ill  of  him,  he  had 
not  had  time  to  ponder.  To  the  strictly  personal 
side  of  the  future  days  of  enforced  island  residence, 
he  had  given  little  thought.  As  for  the  Frenchman, 
Starbuck  had  formed  a  definite  opinion  of  him. 
The  man  was  a  coward.  He  was  one  of  those  who 
pose  and  swagger,  telling  of  large  things  he  has 
done  and  of  the  still  greater  that  he  expects  to  do; 
a  man,  who,  when  danger  is  past,  comes  forward 
with  a  smile,  belittling  the  peril,  offering  excuses 
for  his  own  conduct  and  trusting  to  his  amiability 
and  the  sympathy  of  the  onlookers  to  rehabilitate 
him.  He  would  bear  watching,  thought  the  sailor, 
not  because  his  sense  of  insult  would  permit  him  to 
go  into  physical  danger  for  its  avenging,  but  be- 


TWO   MEN   AND   A   WOMAN  95 

cause  he  was  certain  to  attempt  to  insinuate  himself 
into  the  good  graces  of  Miss  Channing  and  thus 
possibly  cause  a  passive  mutiny  in  the  camp  against 
his  own  judgment  and  authority,  which  he  was  of 
no  mind  to  relinquish. 

Work  and  plenty  of  it,  decided  Starbuck,  must 
be  the  daily  portion  of  each  one  of  the  trio.  On  the 
long,  dull  days  at  sea  in  his  younger  years,  when  the 
calm  of  the  doldrums  bred  a  pestilence  of  discon- 
tent among  the  crew,  work  had  been  the  sovereign 
remedy  of  the  skipper  and  was  invariably  efficacious. 
Men  who  would  have  rebelled  against  the  food 
served  out  to  them  if  allowed  to  be  idle,  ate  with 
nothing  worse  than  a  growl  when  hard  at  work. 
Occupation,  something  to  keep  the  hands  busy  as 
well  as  the  mind,  was  the  great  alleviator  in  time 
of  trouble.     And  occupation  they  should  have. 

His  thoughts  turned  to  the  boat,  which  was  now 
lying  with  her  side  stove  in  at  the  bottom  of  the 
reef,  where  he  knew  the  water  might  be  fifteen 
fathoms  deep.  Would  it  be  possible  to  raise  and 
patch  her?  If  this  island,  as  yet  unexplored,  should 
prove  as  he  believed,  uninhabited,  there  must  be 
others  not  too  far  away  that  might  be  reached,  and 
in  settled  weather,  with  the  dinghy  made  seaworthy 
and  well  provisioned,  such  a  voyage  would  be  prac- 
ticable. However,  this  was  a  measure  only  to  be 
tried  after  a  reasonable  amount  of  waiting  for  a 


96         THE   CRADLE   OF  THE   DEEP 

ship,  and  Starbuck  gave  himself  up  to  plans  for  the 
coming  day.  Some  kind  of  more  or  less  permanent 
shelter  was  imperative.  The  rainy  season  was  fast 
approaching,  as  told  by  the  restless  shifting  of  the 
winds,  and  a  stock  of  provisions  must  at  once  be 
laid  in  against  possible  illness  or  mishap.  The 
island  must  be  explored  for  the  purpose  of  finding 
some  hint  as  to  its  history,  and  in  the  hope  that,  if 
at  this  time  unpeopled,  some  stray  articles  of  use- 
fulness  might   have   been   left   behind. 

Weary,  the  man's  thoughts  grew  less  clear,  and, 
as  the  hour  of  dawn  approached,  his  head  drooped 
toward  his  breast  and  he  slumbered. 

When  Eleanor  Channing  retired  to  her  leafy 
bower,  as  Starbuck  surmised,  it  was  not  to  sleep. 
The  rustling  of  the  grass,  the  unaccustomed  hard- 
ness of  the  bed,  the  possibility  of  crawling  insects, 
and  the  noises  of  the  night,  after  the  first  moments 
of  forced  composure,  had  driven  sleep  far  from  her 
busy  brain.  She  turned  on  this  side  and  on  that; 
she  sat  up  and  tried  to  better  arrange  her  couch, 
and  finally,  failing  in  each  attempt  at  comfort, 
threw  herself  down  to  wait  for  the  light. 

Lying  there,  she  could  hear  the  Frenchman's 
heavy  breathing  a  few  yards  away.  She  could 
even  see  his  form  vaguely  in  a  lighter  patch  under 
the  stars.  Starbuck  she  could  neither  see  nor  hear. 
She  recalled  the  Frenchman's  words  of  the  after- 


TWO   MEN   AND   A   WOMAN  97 

noon.  The  darkness  and  the  mystery  of  the  island 
night,  with  its  whisperings  and  its  rustlings, 
wrought  a  fear  in  her  that  they  might  be  true, 
though  what  calm  reason  she  could  muster  rebuked 
her  for  the  evil  in  her  thoughts.  Still,  here  were 
two  men  and  a  woman,  alone,  away  from  all  the 
restraints  of  civilization,  their  impulses  quickened 
only  by  the  laws  of  nature  or  the  promptings  of 
their  own  consciences.  That  they  might  struggle 
finally  to  possess  her  was  perfectly  possible.  How 
soon  the  contest  would  come  she  could  not  foresee, 
but  that  some  sort  of  supremacy  must  be  estab- 
lished she  dared  not  doubt.  She  knew  enough  of 
the  world  not  to  delude  herself  that  a  man  such  as 
Starbuck  had  shown  himself  could  indefinitely  re- 
frain from  exhibiting  an  interest  in  her.  His  pas- 
sions must  some  time  leap  to  the  surface  and  sweep 
away  the  habit  of  duty  that  now  seemed  so  strong 
in  him.  The  other  was  also  a  man,  not  so  strong, 
not  so  elemental,  but  he  was  at  least  a  male,  and, 
taken  doubtless  from  an  environment  of  worldly 
indulgence,  he  would  make  his  fight,  however  feeble 
it  might  be,  for  the  winning  of  the  prize. 

Facing  such  a  problem  as  this,  the  girl's  native 
courage  was  sorely  tried.  Whether  it  would  not  be 
better  to  die  when  the  time  came,  she  hardly  con- 
sidered. The  danger,  though  so  real,  seemed  so  al- 
most mythical  in  its  present  remoteness,  that  she 


98  THE    CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

could  not  bring  herself  to  think  of  it  as  an  actuality. 
She  must  play  for  time,  she  told  herself.  She  must 
pretend  to  be  all  things  to  each  of  these  men,  meet- 
ing each  in  a  spirit  of  courage,  never  weakening 
nor  apparently  seeing  beyond  the  commonplaces  of 
existence.  A  steady  hand  and  a  clear,  discerning 
mind  that  never  showed  the  white  feather  would 
go  far,  she  thought,  if  only  the  time  were  not  too 
long,  A  week,  possibly  a  month,  would  be  the 
duration  of  her  imprisonment  and  for  this  space 
she  believed  herself  able  to  hold  at  arm's  length 
anything  short  of  sheer  physical  force. 

She  thought  of  the  man  to  whom  she  was  en- 
gaged to  be  married.  How  would  he  accept  her  in 
the  knowledge  of  her  plight  ?  How  would  his  family 
accept  her,  those  proud,  cold  aristocrats  of  New 
England,  the  Brahmin  caste  of  America,  whose  tra- 
ditions showed  no  taint  of  vulgar  adventure,  whose 
women  were  statuesque  figures  of  propriety  and 
whose  men  models  of  icy  discretion?  Already  she 
felt  herself  smirched  by  her  position,  by  her  very 
thoughts,  unworthy  again  to  enter  into  their  frigid 
circle  of  conventionality. 

Like  the  tamer  of  lions,  her  safety  lay  in  the  pre- 
tence of  courage.  She  must  face  all  things  with 
calmness,  never  resenting  friendliness,  never  en- 
couraging familiarity,  always  ready  to  share  dis- 
comforts and  dangers  as  a  man  would  be.     Like 


TWO    MEN   AND   A   WOMAN  99 

the  lion's  master,  the  worst  she  had  to  fear  was  fear 
itself. 

With  the  situation,  as  she  saw  it,  analyzed  to  its 
lowest  terms,  Eleanor  Channing's  mind  lost  its 
tension,  and  like  the  man  asleep  at  the  foot  of  the 
tree,  she  sank  slowly  into  a  depth  of  unconscious- 
ness that  before  the  day  broke  was  profound. 

The  rising  of  the  sun  awoke  Starbuck.  He 
stretched  his  arms  and  yawned  noisily,  and  without 
calling  the  Frenchman  or  the  girl,  he  rose,  and 
shaking  the  dew  from  his  clothes  as  he  walked, 
went  to  the  stream  for  a  drink  and  a  wash.  Re- 
freshed by  the  cool  water,  he  stepped  quietly  down 
to  the  beach  and  scanned  the  sea  and  shore.  The 
wind  had  fallen  before  sunrise  and  the  lagoon  inside 
the  reef  was  quiet  as  a  pond,  though  its  surface 
still  undulated  with  the  rollers  that  swept  in  from 
the  reef,  where  the  seas  still  broke  noisily,  sending 
up  their  sheets  of  spray,  turned  to  dazzling  white- 
ness by  the  sun. 

The  first  thing  Starbuck  did  was  to  make  a  fire. 
With  no  matches  nor  flint  and  steel  there  was  but 
one  way,  and  with  a  sailor's  knowledge  of  many 
strange  lands,  he  set  about  it  in  the  ancient  island 
fashion.  Choosing  a  half  decayed  stem  of  hibiscus 
he  tore  off  the  smaller  end,  and  with  his  knife,  whit- 
tled this  carefully  to  a  point.  Laying  the  larger 
piece  against  a  rock,  he  bestrode  it,  and  selecting 


100   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

a  dry  and  partly  rotten  spot,  began  to  rub.  Soon  a 
groove  was  worn  in  the  soft  wood,  and  as  he  worked 
faster  the  decayed  particles  were  ground  to  a  fine 
powder  that  was  pushed  into  a  little  heap  at  the 
farther  end.  He  increased  the  speed  of  his  strokes, 
his  body  shaking  with  the  violence  of  movement, 
until  all  at  once  a  thin,  fine  spiral  of  smoke  curled 
up.  With  the  sweat  pouring  from  his  face,  em- 
purpled by  his  exertions,  he  worked  with  lightning 
strokes,  and  at  last,  when  human  muscles  could 
move  no  faster,  he  suddenly  stopped  and  pressed  the 
point  of  his  smoking  stick  hard  into  the  cavity  he 
had  worn.  A  breathless  instant,  and  the  tiny  parti- 
cles glowed,  incandescent,  elemental  fire,  born  of  the 
energy  of  one  man's  body. 

"Bravo!" 

Instantly  he  looked  up  to  see,  fresh  and  glowing 
from  her  visit  to  the  brook,  the  girl,  who  stood 
above  him  at  the  edge  of  the  trees  smiling  her  good 
morning. 

"  How  delightfully  primitive !  "  she  said,  as  she 
stepped  down  upon  the  beach.  "  You  look  like  a 
strong  man  who  has  just  run  a  race,"  and  she  could 
have  bitten  her  tongue  the  next  instant  as  she 
thought  of  the  retort  he  might  make  to  the  quota- 
tion. 

But  he  did  not.  Intent  on  his  fire,  he  scarcely 
more  than  nodded  a  welcome  as  he  busily  piled  dry 


TWO    MEN    AND    A    WOMAN  101 

twigs,  one  by  one  on  the  tiny  blaze,  which  'grew 
and  throve  under  his  hand. 

"  It's  queer,"  he  said  at  last,  as  he  sat  back  to 
mop  his  forehead,  and  eyed  with  satisfaction  the 
now  vigorous  flames,  "  it's  mighty  queer  that  we 
humans  aren't  happy  without  a  fire.  Here  we  are 
in  the  midst  of  the  greatest  fruit  country  in  the 
world,  where  things  to  eat  are  ready  to  drop  into 
our  mouths,  and  yet  we  must  have  a  fire  and  cook 
something.  What  ?  "  he  echoed,  as  he  caught  the 
girl's  look  of  inquiry.  "  Well,  roasted  breadfruit 
isn't  a  bad  breakfast,  and  baked  yams  make  a  bully 
good  side  dish.  The  only  thing  we  lack  is  coffee, 
but  we  can  make  out  on  a  hot  morning  with  a  cocoa- 
nut  cocktail  as  an  appetizer.  You  never  ate  a  well 
cooked  breadfruit?"  he  questioned,  as  he  heaped 
fuel  on  the  blaze  until  it  leaped  alive  into  the  still 
morning  air.  "  Well,  you're  going  to  taste  some- 
thing nearly  as  good  as  your  native  Boston  dish." 

As  he  spoke  he  rimmed  the  glowing  heap  with 
stones  and  buried "  others  deep  in  the  heart  of  the 
blaze. 

"  Now,"  he  said,  turning  to  her,  "  if  you'll  keep 
that  going  with  this  dry  stuff,  I'll  go  and  pick  the 
breakfast.  One,  two,  three.  Our  Parisian  friend, 
■who  isn't  up  yet,  I  suppose,  will  take  rolls  and 
coffee,  merely,  with  an  absinthe  frappe  as  an  eye 
opener.     Hey,   you  there,   Monseer  O'Bare,"  he 


102   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

called  loudly  up  the  valley.  "  Your  valay  hasn't 
come  home  yet  and  you'll  have  to  '  do  '  for  your- 
self this  morning.  Get  up!"  he  finished,  his  tone 
changing  from  one  of  half  good-natured  banter  to  a 
note  of  command. 

He  resumed  the  placing  of  the  stones  to  heat,  the 
girl  watching  him  with  interest. 

"  You  seem  a  very  capable  sort  of  person,"  she 
said  at  length,  as  he  finished  to  his  satisfaction. 
"  I  should  quite  like  to  know  you,  I  think.  I  am 
Eleanor  Channing,  and  now,"  she  finished  with  a 
smile,  "  you  have  the  advantage  of  me." 

Starbuck  stared.  It  had  never  occurred  to  him 
that  she  did  not  know  his  name. 

"  That's  one  on  me,"  he  admitted  with  a  laugh. 
"  Days  and  nights  in  a  boat  together  and  didn't 
even  know  who  was  sailing  you.  Perhaps  I'd  bet- 
ter give  our  mutual  friend  my  card  and  then  we  can 
be  what  you  call  properly  introduced." 

But  smiling,  she  shook  her  head. 

"  I'd  much  rather  hear  it  from  you.  Besides, 
breakfast  like  this  is  hardly  a  formal  function,  you 
know." 

"  Well,"  he  said  slowly,  "  if  you  will  have  it,  it 
is  Starbuck,  John  Starbuck,  and  very  much  at  your 
service." 

John  Starbuck.  It  was  a  solid,  substantial  name 
with  a  good  New  England  twang  to  it. 


TWO    MEN   AND    A    WOMAN  103 

"  Why,"  she  exclaimed,  "  you  must  be  from 
Massachusetts.    Nantucket  or  Martha's  Vineyard?  " 

"  Nantucket,"  he  answered  quickly.  "  I  was 
born  on  Nantucket.  My  mother's  name  was  Macy 
and  her  mother  was  a  Coffin,  but  I've  been  knock- 
ing about  this  round  old  world  so  long,"  he  added, 
she  thought  a  bit  wistfully,  as  he  stood  gazing  off 
seaward,  "  that  I  don't  know  as  I  can  claim  now  to 
hail  from  much  of  anywhere." 

"  Oh,  once  a  Yankee  for  ever  a  Yankee,  you  never 
can  change,"  she  said  lightly.  "  I'm  glad  your  name 
is  Starbuck.  It  sounds  so  square  and  so,  well,  so 
sensible.     It  fits  you,  I  think." 

Starbuck  had  never  analyzed  his  feeling  for  his 
name  other  than  to  be  in  a  way  proud  to  bear  it  as 
that  of  a  line  of  sailors  and  shipmasters  of  the  old 
school,  who  had  made  New  Bedford  the  oiliest  port 
in  the  world  in  the  days  when  voyages  were  meas- 
ured by  barrels,  and  men  by  the  length  of  the  long 
dart  throw.    Her  approval  pleased  him. 

Aubert's  appearance,  gingerly  stepping  through 
the  undergrowth,  put  an  end  to  the  subject  and 
Starbuck  looked  quizzically  at  the  advancing  figure. 
The  Frenchman  had  evidently  been  at  some  pains 
with  his  toilet.  His  coat  was  brushed  free  from 
grass  and  leaves,  his  shirt  cuffs  turned  back  to  hide 
their  soiled  edges,  and  he  now  beckoned  Starbuck  to 
come  to  him. 


104   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

"  Pardon,  Monsieur,"  he  said,  when  the  sailor 
was  near  enough  to  catch  his  low  tone,  "  but  my 
little  comb  that  I  always  carry.  It  would  be  a  con- 
venience —  " 

"  Yes,"  Starbuck  admitted,  with  a  glance  at  the 
tousled  black  head,  and  the  disordered  moustache 
and  imperial,  "  and  a  shave  wouldn't  be  a  bad 
thing,  either,  if  we  had  some  soap  and  a  razor," 

"  Look,  void! "  cried  Aubert,  as  he  reached  into 
his  inside  waistcoat  pocket.  "  See,  the  genii  grants 
your  wish,  almost  as  it  is  uttered,"  and  as  he  spoke 
he  drew  out  a  black  case  containing  the  wished  for 
article.  Starbuck  took  it  in  some  surprise  for  he 
thought  he  had  searched  the  man  thoroughly. 

"  Here's  your  comb,"  he  said,  handing  it  to  him 
from  the  packet,  which  he  had  opened.  "  I'll  try 
the  shaving  tool  after  breakfast.  We'll  take  turns 
with  it,  every  other  day,  and  give  it  to  Miss  Chan- 
ning  between  whiles  for  safe  keeping." 

"  Bien"  said  the  Frenchman  shortly,  "  I  am  sat- 
isfied." 

While  the  stones  in  the  fire  were  heating,  Star- 
buck  walked  back  into  the  valley  and  soon  returned 
bearing  several  green  breadfruit.  They  were 
peculiar,  egg-shaped  things  with  knobby  green  skins 
covering  a  thin  rind  and  were  about  as  large  as  a 
citron.  He  carried  also  a  number  of  large  leaves, 
in  which  he  proceeded  to  wrap  the  fruit  one  by  one. 


TWO   MEN   AND   A   WOMAN  105 

Scooping  a  hole  in  the  heart  of  the  fire  and  raking 
the  embers  to  one  side,  he  placed  the  parcels  in  the 
cavity  and  covered  them  with  the  hot  ashes,  heaping 
the  smaller  stones  on  these  and  smothering  the 
whole  with  earth.  Picking  up  one  of  the  burning 
brands,  he  carefully  kindled  a  new  fire  at  a  little 
distance  and  called  to  Miss  Channing,  who  had 
been  watching  these  primitive  preparations  for 
breakfast  with  interest. 

"  Who  was  it  that  kept  their  lamps  lighted  for  a 
thousand  years  or  so  ? "  he  asked  her  over  his 
shoulder. 

"  The  vestal  virgins,  do  you  mean?  " 

"  That's  it,  I  reckon.  Now  I  want  you  to  con- 
sider yourself  one  of  those  same  young  women  who 
has  wandered  from  her  own  fireside,  and  keep  a 
little  blaze  going  just  here." 

"  And  for  a  thousand  years  ?  " 

"  Well,  maybe  it  won't  be  quite  that  long,  but  it 
quite  likely  will  seem  so;  anyhow,  enough  to  give 
some  character  to  the  part.  It's  hot  work  making 
fire  by  the  prehistoric  method  as  you  saw  this  morn- 
ing, and  it  will  be  easier  to  keep  it.  Monseer,"  he 
suddenly  called  to  Aubert,  who  had  sat  down  at  the 
foot  of  a  nearby  palm  and  was  finishing  his  toilet 
with  the  comb  Starbuck  had  returned  to  him.  He 
looked  up. 

"  Just  slip  along  the  beach  there  and  bring  back 


106   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

some  of  those  green  cocoanuts  the  wind  brought 
down  last  night,  and  strip  the  husks  off.  I'll  be 
back  in  time  for  breakfast,"  he  added,  and  without 
more  words  swung  off  with  a  long  stride  up  the 
beach  toward  the  rock,  behind  which  they  had  found 
their  first  shelter  on  the  day  before. 

The  girl  watched  him  as  he  strode  away,  with 
his  seamanlike  swing  of  the  arms  and  body,  grace- 
ful, strong,  alert.  In  his  white  shirt  and  blue 
trousers  and  with  his  head  bare  to  the  morning 
breeze,  he  was  good  to  look  upon,  and  Eleanor 
Channing  could  not  but  admit  that  the  buoyant 
figure,  with  its  utter  lack  of  pose  or  mannerism 
fitted  well  with  the  stage  setting  of  palm  and  sea 
and  sky. 

Slowly  she  turned  her  attention  again  to  the  fire, 
dragging  some  of  the  larger  pieces  of  wood  from 
a  little  distance  and  heaping  them  up  nearby  until 
sh€  had  accumulated  a  sizable  pile.  Warm  with 
physical  exercise,  flushed,  and  panting  a  little,  she 
stood  back,  rubbing  her  reddened  palms  and  look- 
ing with  some  pride  at  her  work.  As  she  stood, 
wondering  why  she  had  found  herself  hoping  to 
win  a  word  of  approval  from  a  sailorman,  who 
ordered  her  about  as  if  she  were  one  of  his  own 
deckhands,  Aubert  suddenly  stood  beside  her,  drop- 
ping an  armful  of  nuts  at  her  feet.  His  labour  had 
not  disarranged  the  carefully  roached  hair  or  the 


TWO    MEN    AND    A    WOMAN  107 

twisted  ends  of  his  moustache,  and  as  he  struck  an 
attitude  and  shrugged,  with  his  thumbs  out  and  his 
palms  up,  she  could  think  of  nothing  but  a  little 
French  barber.  All  he  lacked  was  the  comb  stuck 
behind  his  ear. 

"  And  Ma'm'selle,  I  hope  that  she  rested  quite 
well?" 

"  Yes,  thank  you;  and  you?  "  she  continued,  for 
the  want  of  something  better  to  say,  "  I  am  sure 
you  did.     I  heard  you  quite  plainly." 

"  Ah,  that  is  cruel,  Ma'm'selle.  I  was  fatigued 
past  all  words.  It  is  not  often  that  I  sleep  such  a 
sleep.  From  night  until  morning  I  knew  nothing. 
And  I  dreamed,  ah!  such  dreams,  that  I  was  not 
sorry.  I  was  again  in  my  dear  Paris,  and  it  was 
a  spring  evening  along  the  Champs  Elysses.  The 
hundreds  and  thousands  of  lamps  among  the  trees 
and  in  the  gardens  twinkled  and  the  gay  voices  of 
men  and  women  came  to  me.  The  orchestra  at  Des 
Ambassadeurs  one  could  just  hear,  above  the  whirr 
of  the  passing  automobiles  and  the  click,  click  of 
the  cab  horses.  And  under  a  lamp  I  met,  whom  do 
you  think,  Ma'm'selle?  Who  but  yourself,  and  you 
were  —  " 

"  Your  dream  is  very  interesting,  no  doubt.  Mon- 
sieur Aubert,"  interrupted  Miss  Channing  hastily, 
"  but  I  smell  something.  Do  you  suppose  the  break- 
fast is  burning?     Ought  we  to  look?" 


108   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

To  her  relief,  Starbuck  now  made  his  appearance, 
dragging  behind  him  the  sailcloth  and  the  other 
articles  which  he  had  picked  up  along  the  shore; 
the  poor  little  collection,  which,  with  what  they  per- 
sonally had  in  their  pockets,  represented  their  total 
wealth.  There  was  the  broken  mast  of  the  boat, 
with  its  boom,  sail  and  fittings;  one  whole  oar; 
one  broken  one;  one  boathook,  one  water  keg  and 
one  empty  brandy  bottle.  As  this  last  came  into 
view  Miss  Channing  glanced  at  Aubert.  She  saw 
him  eye  it  eagerly  and  caught  the  look  of  dis- 
appointment that  crossed  his  face  when  he  saw  its 
condition.    Less  than  ever  did  she  believe  his  story. 

Starbuck  dumped  his  load  on  the  sand  and  eyed 
it  with  some  satisfaction. 

"That  isn't  as  much  as  Mr.  Crusoe  had,  is  it?" 
he  said,  "  nor  yet  the  ship's  cargo  that  the  poor 
Swiss  Family  struggled  along  with.  But  for  three 
intelligent  people  it  will  do  very  well,  I'm  thinking." 

Digging  open  the  pile  under  which  the  breadfruit 
lay,  without  more  ado  Starbuck  opened  the  leaf- 
bound  parcels  and  laid  before  the  waiting  ones  the 
fragrant,  steaming  contents.  Cracking  the  rind  of 
one  of  the  fruits,  the  thin  shell  dropped  away,  ex- 
posing the  white,  pulpy  contents. 

Miss  Channing,  with  a  shell  for  a  spoon,  was  the 
first  to  taste. 

"  Delicious,"  she  cried  as  she  hungrily  dipped  a 


TWO    MEN    AND    A    WOMAN  109 

second  mouthful.  "  Why,  it's  like  nothing  I  ever 
ate  before,  and  so  much  better  than  most  breakfast 
foods." 

Starbuck  was  busy  with  the  corkscrew  attach- 
ment of  Aubert's  knife,  with  which  he  bored  out 
one  of  the  little  black  plugs  in  the  ends  of  three 
cocoanuts,  and  after  punching  other  holes  in  their 
sides,  he  passed  two  of  them  to  the  others.  They 
saw  him  place  his  lips  to  the  end,  and  take  a  long 
draught.  Imitating  him,  the  girl  gave  a  cry  of  sur- 
prise and  hastily  repeated  the  operation. 

"And  this  is  the  milk  in  the  cocoanut!  "  she  ex- 
claimed; "it  really  is  the  most  refreshing  drink  I 
ever  had.  Why  should  any  one  waste  time  on  the 
ancient  mystery  of  how  it  got  there,  when  one  can 
quench  one's  thirst  so  delightfully?  " 

"  These  are  not  the  best,  though,"  said  Starbuck 
critically,  "  they've  been  on  the  ground  for  several 
hours.  A  native  would  turn  up  his  nose,  and  climb 
the  tree  for  a  fresh  one." 

Breakfast  over,  the  girl  half  expected  to  hear  an 
order  to  wash  the  dishes,  as  she  might  have,  had 
there  been  such  things,  but  the  remains  were  burned 
and  the  beach  left  clean. 

"  Now,"  said  Starbuck,  briskly,  **  there's  a  lot  of 
work  to  do.  The  first  thing  is  to  set  our  signal  of 
distress  on  the  top  of  the  hill  back  of  us,  and  to  ex- 
plore the  island  far  enough  to  find  out  if  there  is  a 


110   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

native  village  anywhere  on  the  other  side.  After 
that,  we'll  build  something  for  Miss  Channing  to 
call  her  private  residence.  Aubert,  it's  you  for  the 
tall  timber.  Take  this  knife  and  whittle  off  all  the 
straight  trees  you  come  to  that  are  the  thickness  of 
your  ankle.  I  wish  we  had  an  axe  and  we'd  make 
you  a  real  lumber  jack.  Miss  Channing,  if  you're 
a  mountain  climber,  you  can  come  with  me  and 
have  the  honour  of  hauling  up  the  first  flag  on  the 
island  of  —  what?  Name  it,  Miss,  you  were  the 
discoverer  and  you  must  be  its  sponsor." 

Called  on  suddenly  for  a  name,  Eleanor  Chan- 
ning was  caught  somewhat  off  her  guard,  but  per- 
haps, had  she  stopped  to  think,  she  could  have  done 
no  better. 

"  Starbuck  Island,"  was  her  quick  decision  and 
Starbuck  himself,  on  whom  this  unexpected  and 
personal  honour  had  fallen,  had  no  time  to  demur 
before  she  cried : 

"  Starbuck  Island,  in  honour  of  the  man  who 
made  it  possible  for  it  to  be  named  at  all." 

And  so  it  stood. 

"  But  what  are  we  to  do  for  a  flag  ?  "  asked  the 
girl,  in  doubt  as  to  what  he  had  planned  to  use  that 
might  be  seen  any  distance  at  sea. 

"  A  piece  of  luck,"  answered  Starbuck.  "  When 
I  was  after  this  bit  of  plunder,  I  saw,  washing  just 
on  the  edge  of  the  beach,  those  bedclothes  from 


TWO    MEN    AND    A    WOMAN  111 

the  boat.  There's  the  two  sheets,  and  a  blanket  with 
red  stripes  on  the  ends.  It's  light  and  it  ought  to 
fly  in  the  breeze  we  get  here." 

He  went  and  got  it  from  a  bush  where  it  hung 
drying  and  spread  it  out  before  her.  The  red  bars 
at  top  and  bottom  showed  brilliantly  against  a  yel- 
lowish ground. 

"  Splendid,"  she  cried,  "  only  the  ships  that  see 
it  will  think  it's  a  Spanish  flag  and  they  may  not 
come  near  us.'^' 

"  All  the  better,"  retorted  the  sailor.  "  If  they're 
German  ships,  as  most  of  'em  are  that  trade  in  these 
waters,  they'd  be  pretty  likely  to  want  to  know  who 
the  grandees  are  who  have  jumped  their  claim."' 

Starbuck  busied  himself  overhauling  the  small 
ropes  that  had  formed  the  running  rigging  of  the 
mast  and  sail,  and  when  he  had  freed  them,  found 
himself  with  sufficient  line  for  halyards.  Next  he 
took  two  large  shells  from  the  beach  that  fitted 
closely  over  one  another.  In  these  he  placed  a  few 
live  coals  from  the  fire  and  handed  them  to  the  girl. 
Taking  up  the  boathook  he  announced  himself 
ready  for  exploration  and  adventure. 

For  the  first  time  it  occurred  to  her,  that,  should 
she  go  with  him,  she  would  be  placing  herself  in  a 
position  she  had  been  warned  against.  Flushing 
slightly,  she  hesitated. 

"  I  think  if  this  is  to  be  a  journey  of  exploration. 


112   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

Monsieur  Aubert  should  go  with  us,"  she  demurred. 
"  And  certainly  he  should  be  present  when  we  raise 
our  flag-  of  occupation.  Three  cheers  by  only  one 
cheerer  would  be  a  poor  sort  of  salute,  it  seems  to 
me,  for  such  a  standard." 

Starbuck,  while  he  did  not  suspect  the  real  rea- 
son, was  of  no  mind  to  have  his  first  suggestion  as 
to  the  day's  work  disregarded,  and  stoutly  held  to 
the  original  plan.  The  sticks  for  the  hut  must  be 
cut,  he  said,  and  they  might  be  gone  several  hours ; 
also,  the  day  was  advancing  and  the  night  fell  early 
in  the  tropics.  Aubert,  anxious  to  avoid  the  heavy 
work  he  had  been  set  to  do,  attempted  to  enter  the 
little  controversy,  but  the  look  in  Starbuck's  eye 
told  him  sternly  not  to  interfere,  and,  since  the  girl 
could  not  ■well  refuse  outright,  the  sailor  had  his 
way. 

They  started  up  the  valley,  taking  the  course  of 
the  stream,  which  bubbled  musically  over  the  rocks 
and  fallen  tree  trunks  to  where  it  brawled  out  over 
the  beach.  At  first  the  way  was  fairly  clear,  but 
soon  the  undergrowth  became  thicker  and  the  air 
closer  and  warmer.  Away  from  the  sea  breeze, 
hemmed  in  on  all  sides  by  the  heavy  shade,  where  a 
few  bright  plumed  birds  scaled  overhead  with 
startled  cries,  Eleanor  Channing  found  herself  in  a 
new  world.  The  rank,  lush  greenery  of  the  tropics, 
the  myriads  of  flowering  plants,  the  clinging  ten- 


TWO    MEN    AND    A    WOMAN  113 

drils  of  the  vines  that  climbed  and  wound  their  way 
around  the  tree  trunks,  were  all  strange  to  her,  and 
though  the  heat  of  exercise  caused  discomfort,  she 
began  to  enjoy  the  experience. 

Starbuck  went  ahead,  often  beating  a  path  for 
her  through  the  thickest  of  the  growth  and  extend- 
ing a  helping  hand  where  rocks  impeded  her  prog- 
ress. He  did  not  talk  much,  and  as  they  ascended 
sharply  she  was  too  far  out  of  breath  to  attempt  con- 
versation. Once  a  canebrake  seemed  to  offer  an  im- 
penetrable barrier  but  by  main  strength  Starbuck 
forced  a  passage  for  her  and  himself,  which  closed 
up  almost  as  quickly  as  it  was  made.  Safely 
through  this,  the  forest  became  more  open,  and  they 
could  see  the  slope  well  ahead.  The  hardest  part  of 
their  climb,  however,  was  to  come.  From  this 
point  the  peak  of  the  hill  ran  up  steeply  and  in  spots 
the  ground  was  almost  bare,  covered  with  grayish 
rock  that  looked  like  slag  from  a  blast  furnace. 

"  Lava,"  said  Starbuck,  as  he  extended  the  boat- 
hook  to  help  her  up  an  acclivity.  "  This  island  is, 
or  has  been,  an  active  volcano,  and  that  not  so  very 
long  ago.  See,  there  are  ashes  under  your  foot 
that  look  as  if  they  had  just  fallen  there." 

Rather  fearing  to  step  suddenly  into  an  open 
fissure,  the  girl  climbed  gingerly  on,  the  sharp  edges 
of  the  slag  cutting  her  shoes  sadly,  though  she  did 
not   complain.      Higher   they   went,   till,   glancing 


114        THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

back,  they  caught  gHmpses  of  the  sea  below,  shining 
in  its  vast  expanse,  seemingly  still  as  a  great  lake. 
While  she  stopped  to  rest,  Starbuck  kept  on,  shin- 
ning up  the  steep  hillside  like  a  goat,  sometimes  on 
all  fours,  and  as  she  turned  again  to  the  ascent,  she 
heard  him  give  a  shout  and  hurried  her  steps  until 
she  could  see  him  standing  on  a  point  of  stiffened 
lava,  waving  his  hand  to  her.    It  was  the  top. 


CHAPTER   VIII 

STARBUCK   ISLAND 

There  was  no  definite  crater,  but  rather  a  broad 
depression,  rimmed  about  with  rock,  that  stood  in 
fantastic  shapes  and  ridges  as  if  left  there,  unfin- 
ished, by  careless  workmen.  No  smoke  was  visible, 
but  in  the  crevices  near  the  bottom  of  the  pit  a  light 
vapour  arose  that  smelled  strongly  of  sulphur.  On 
the  farther  side  of  the  basin  was  a  great  rift  in  its 
edge  as  if  scooped  out  by  a  Titan's  hand,  and  out 
of  this,  growing  broader  as  it  descended,  was  a 
frozen  stream  of  lava,  that  had  mowed  a  path 
straight  to  the  water  on  the  island's  south  side. 

Starbuck  helped  the  girl  to  a  place  beside  him 
on  the  highest  pinnacle  of  rock,  where  there  was  an 
uninterrupted  view  in  every  direction.  Perhaps 
not  above  four  hundred  feet  in  height,  the  island, 
they  could  see,  was  nearly  elliptical  in  shape,  with 
its  length  running  almost  east  and  west.  They  saw 
the  surrounding  coral  reef,  with  its  fringe  of  milk- 
white  breakers  on  the  north  and  west,  and  lying  like 
a  dark  shadow  off  the  leeward  shore.  The  water 
of  the  enclosed  lagoon,  with  its  brilliant  shades  of 

115 


116   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

blue  and  green,  was  like  an  iridescent  mirror,  and 
over  all  was  the  glowing  blue  of  the  sky,  with  the 
sun  like  a  brazen  bowl,  riding  in  the  southeast.  No 
other  island  was  in  sight. 

While  the  girl  stood  gazing  at  the  beauty  of  the 
panorama,  Starbuck  leaped  down,  and  descending  a 
short  distance,  twisted  off  the  stem  of  a  tall,  straight 
young  tree,  from  which  he  stripped  the  branches. 
Opening  the  shells,  which  the  girl  had  carried,  he 
blew  the  coals  into  life  and  started  a  small  fire. 
Into  this  he  thrust  the  metal  point  of  the  boathook, 
while  the  girl,  from  her  perch,  looked  on  puzzled. 

Testing  its  heat  from  time  to  time,  at  last  Star- 
buck  placed  the  dull,  red  point  at  the  end  of  the 
pole  and  burnt  a  smooth,  round  hole  through  to  the 
other  side.  Reeving  the  halyards  through  it,  he 
stepped  it  in  a  crevice  on  the  peak  of  rock,  wedging 
it  with  other  smaller  pieces  of  broken  slag,  which 
he  drove  with  his  heel  to  support  the  butt.  This 
done  he  unwound  from  his  waist  the  ship's  blanket 
he  had  brought  and  bent  it  firmly  by  two  corners  to 
the  halyards. 

"  Now,  Your  Excellency,"  he  cried,  as  he  drew 
up  in  mock  salute,  "  we  are  ready  for  the  christen- 
ing.   Are  you  still  decided  on  the  name  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,"  she  said,  "  that  must  be  the  name,  of 
course;  you  could  not  expect  me  to  name  it  for 
myself,  could  you?  " 


STARBUCK    ISLAND  117 

Starbuck  felt  a  little  flick  of  satisfaction  as  he 
noted  that  the  Frenchman  was  forgotten,  or  ignored. 

"  All  right  then,  here  goes,"  and  the  blanket, 
rolled  in  a  tight  ball,  sailor  fashion,  began  slowly  to 
climb  the  pole. 

"  Stop,  stop,"  she  cried  in  dismay.  "  What  am 
I  to  say?  What  words  does  one  use  when  one 
names  a  new  land  ?  " 

Starbuck  looked  blank. 

"  I'm  sure  I  don't  know,"  he  said  in  perplexity, 
"  but,"  brightening,  "  when  you  crack  a  bottle  on  a 
ship's  stem,  you  say,  *  I  christen  thee  So-and-So.'  " 

"  I  suppose  that  will  have  to  do,"  replied  the  girl, 
somewhat  doubtful,  "  but,  after  all,  it's  an  island  in 
the  sea,  and  not  such  a  steady  going  one  at  that, 
judging  by  what  we've  seen  up  here." 

The  ball  ascended  quickly  to  the  top  of  the  staff, 
and  Starbuck,  giving  the  halyards  into  the  girl's 
hands,  told  her  which  one  to  pull  as  she  spoke  the 
words. 

"  I  christen  thee  Starbuck  Island,"  she  cried. 
With  a  jerk  the  ball  unrolled,  and  the  blanket  flag, 
with  its  stripes  of  red  on  either  end,  broke  out  free 
to  the  breeze,  a  symbol  of  hope  for  their  deliver- 
ance. 

"  Now  three  cheers,"  said  Starbuck,  "  and  the 
ceremony's  over." 

"  No,"  objected  the  girl,  "  you  see  there  is  no 


118   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

one  to  cheer.  I  cannot.  I  am  the  dignified  sponsor 
for  a  new  land;  and  you  cannot,  for  you  are  the 
much  affected  recipient  of  a  great  honour  and  you 
should  be  bowing  your  thanks  to  the  people  who 
gave  it  to  you,  not  cheering  like  a  schoolboy." 

"  Then  I  bow,"  responded  Starbuck,  gravely 
bending  his  bare  head,  but  when  he  raised  it  again 
the  girl  had  hopped  down  beside  him,  and  was 
pointing  to  a  break  in  the  opposite  wall  of  the  basin. 

"  Come,  we  mustn't  waste  time  any  longer,"  she 
said.     "  We  must  explore  our  domain." 

Leading  the  way,  Starbuck  crossed  the  crater,  the 
girl  behind,  lifting  her  short  skirt  in  some  trepida- 
tion as  the  smell  of  sulphur  rasped  her  lungs. 
The;y  hurried  to  the  edge  and  looked  down  where 
the  broad  flow  of  lava  extended  uninterruptedly  to 
the  base  of  the  hill  and  even  across  the  white  beach 
into  the  sea. 

"  I'll  bet  there  was  some  sizzling  when  that 
struck  the  Pacific,"  was  Starbuck's  comment  as  he 
handed  the  girl  the  boathook  to  steady  her  in  the 
descent. 

Although  steep,  the  climb  down  was  easy  and 
they  only  stopped  when  some  freak  in  the  forma- 
tion arrested  their  attention  or  when  the  girl  paused 
to  exclaim  in  wonder  at  the  beauty  of  the  view. 
Soon  they  came  to  the  brow  of  a  gentler  descent, 
and    from   here   they   could   look    out    across    the 


STARBUCK    ISLAND  119 

shoulder  of  the  peak  and  see  the  entire  length  of 
beach,  as  it  ran  away  eastward.  Gazing  long  and 
earnestly,  Starbuck  could  see  no  sign  of  human  oc- 
cupation, and  the  girl,  divining  his  thoughts,  was 
rather  relieved  by  the  reflection  that  no  swarthy 
Caroline  Islanders  were  to  complicate  matters  for 
her,  even  though  their  presence  might  mean  an 
earlier  deliverance. 

Descending  the  last  incline,  they  came  to  within 
a  stone's  throw  of  the  water's  edge.  The  long  river 
of  stiffened  lava  ran  out  in  a  great  black  tongue 
under  the  sea  for  several  hundred  yards,  its  crest 
in  places  cropping  out  among  the  gently  lapping 
ripples.  On  either  side  of  where  they  stood  there 
was  a  sharp  declivity  of  ten  to  fifteen  feet,  which 
marked  the  depth  of  the  lava  flow  over  the  beach. 
The  shores  and  slope  of  the  hill  for  a  long  distance 
were  almost  denuded  of  tall  growth,  being  covered 
only  by  the  newer  trees  and  bushes  which  had 
grown  since  the  eruption.  Starbuck  estimated  by 
their  size  that  the  activity  of  the  crater  could  not 
have  been  more  than  two,  or  at  most,  three  years 
before. 

Exploring  the  edges  of  the  flow,  the  sailor  uttered 
a  cry  that  brought  the  girl  quickly  to  him.  He  was 
bending  over  the  charred  remains  of  a  hut,  of  which 
only  the  blackened  poles  that  formed  its  roof  were 
left,  but  one  half  of  these  were  still  embedded  in 


120   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

the  sand,  where  they  had  originally  stood  when 
the  molten  rock  had  overwhelmed  the  frail  habita- 
tion. 

"  There  must  have  been  a  village  here,"  said  Star- 
buck,  "  and  it  was  buried  up  in  the  eruption.  It 
is  clear  enough  now  why  the  island  is  not  inhab- 
ited.   It  must  be  tabu." 

"And  what  is  that?"  asked  the  girl,  looking 
curiously  at  the  ruins  of  a  savage  home  and  reali- 
zing the  catastrophe  in  growing  wonder. 

"  Tabu  in  the  islands  of  the  Pacific,"  he  ex- 
plained, "  means  *  forbidden.'  The  basis  of  it  is 
superstition,  although  a  pretty  practical  sort  of  man 
wouldn't  blame  a  native  for  steering  clear  of  a 
proposition  like  this.  I  wonder  if  any  of  'em  got 
caught.  Probably  not,  though,  the  thing  would 
give  some  sort  of  warning.  Must  have  been  a 
small  village,  too,"  he  commented,  as  he  took  in 
the-  extent  of  the  lava.  "  Maybe  this  wasn't  the 
first  time  that  *  Starbuck  Mountain  '  has  showed  off 
its  fireworks,  and  only  a  few  were  brave  enough  to 
risk  taking  out  citizenship  papers." 

Of  one  thing  Starbuck  felt  fairly  sure.  As  he 
had  said,  the  island  was  "  tabu,"  and  this  fact,  to 
his  mind,  knowing  the  habits  of  the  natives,  made  it 
practically  certain  that  the  island  would  not  be 
visited  for  a  long  time,  at  least  by  the  suspicious, 
devil-haunted  rovers  of  Micronesia.     He  did  not 


STARBUCK    ISLAND  121 

tell  the  girl  his  thoughts,  but  the  discovery  tended 
greatly  to  lower  his  hopes  of  an  early  rescue. 
There  was  nothing  to  bring  a  ship,  and  this  being 
true,  there  was  nothing  for  them  to  count  upon  but 
a  chance  arrival,  as  of  a  whaler  in  search  of  fresh 
water  or  fruit  to  drive  the  scourge  of  scurvy  from 
her  crew. 

Poking  about  in  the  ruins  of  the  hut,  Starbuck 
gave  a  cry  of  satisfaction,  as  he  held  up,  for  her  to 
see,  a  stone  implement  that  evidently  had  been  used 
as  an  axe  and  another  with  a  slightly  concaved 
surface  that  was  plainly  an  adze.  Rawhide  lash- 
ings, partly  charred,  still  clung  to  the  stones. 
Eagerly  both  searched  for  more  articles  left  behind 
in  hurried  flight  and  soon  a  pearl-shell  spearhead 
and  another  piece  of  shell,  cut  in  saw  teeth,  re- 
warded them,  but  there  was  nothing  more. 

Starbuck,  who  had  been  trying  to  pry  up  a  mass 
of  lava  that  evidently  covered  a  part  of  the  floor 
of  the  hut,  suddenly  stopped  and  listened.  His  in- 
tent attitude  startled  the  girl,  who  was  about  to 
ask  the  cause  when  she  saw  him  drop  his  lever 
softly  and  seize  the  boathook  that  lay  nearby.  With 
this  he  left  the  confines  of  the  hut,  and  still  listen- 
ing, stealthily  moved  up  the  beach  toward  the  line 
of  trees,  where  she  saw  him  throw  himself  flat  on 
the  sand  and  peer  through  the  tangled  vines.  He 
worked  himself  carefully  along,  making  no  sound, 


122   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

until  he  was  some  twenty  yards  away,  when  he  rose 
with  a  bound,  and,  with  the  boathook  poised, 
spearlike,  hurled  the  shaft  with  all  his  strength  into 
the  bushes.  Instantly  a  scream  of  pain  rose  high 
and  the  girl  turned  pale,  and  her  knees  trembled 
as  another  and  still  another  shriek  issued  forth. 
She  saw  Starbuck  dive  into  the  underbrush  and 
heard  swift  blows  that  interrupted  the  cries.  Again 
and  again  the  thud  of  the  heavy  boathook  was  re- 
peated until  at  last  there  was  silence. 

"  Oh,"  cried  the  girl,  "  what  is  it?  Why  do  you 
not  speak  ?  " 

Too  frightened  to  move,  her  eyes  grew  big  with 
'horror  as  she  saw  the  man's  head  and  shoulders 
emerge,  dragging  something  behind  him. 

"  There,"  he  exclaimed,  in  triumph,  as  he  threw 
his  burden  on  the  beach,  "  good  luck  is  with  us 
to-day.     But  he  nearly  got  away." 

Not  until  she  heard  him  laugh  in  surprise  did  she 
uncover  the  eyes  she  had  hidden  in  her  hands. 

When  she  looked  up  the  sight  that  met  her  gaze 
caused  a  revulsion  of  feeling  that  wellnigh  choked 
her.  Starbuck  was  staring  at  her  in  blank  amaze- 
ment over  the  body  of  a  small  pig,  which  lay 
stretched  out  dead  at  his  feet. 

"  Come,"  he  said,  "  this  will  never  do.  You 
mustn't  go  on  like  that." 

For  the  girl  was  almost  hysterical,  laughing  and 


STARBUCK   ISLAND  123 

weeping  in  uncontrolled  paroxysms.  Starbuck  came 
close  and  put  a  hand  on  her  shoulder. 

"  It's  all  right,  child,"  he  said  gently,  "  I  didn't 
mean  to  frighten  you.     I  didn't  think." 

"I  —  I  know,"  she  gasped,  making  an  effort  to 
control  herself.  "  I  know  it's  absurd  of  me,  but  — 
but  you  looked  so  warlike,  and  so  fierce,  that  I 
thought  it  must  be  savages,  and  —  and  it  was  only 
a  pig." 

"  Only  a  pig,"  he  echoed,  "  but  there  are  more 
of  them,  and  think  what  they  mean  to  us.  Fresh 
meat  and  smoked  hams  and  —  and  shoes,"  he  con- 
cluded, noticing  Miss  Channing's  dilapidated  foot- 
wear for  the  first  time.  "  We  must  make  you  some 
in  pretty  short  order  by  the  looks  of  yours.  How  in 
the  world  did  you  climb  that  hill  in  those  things? 
Aren't  your  feet  bruised  and  cut?"  he  demanded, 
as  he  viewed  the  remains  of  what  had  once  been 
dainty  pumps.  "  Why  didn't  you  say  something 
about  it?" 

"  They  weren't  so  bad  when  we  started,"  an- 
swered the  girl,  who,  quiet  again,  was  wiping  the 
tears  from  her  eyes  with  her  sleeve,  "  and  besides, 
I  have  no  others." 

"  Well,  we'll  fix  that,"  he  answered,  swinging 
the  small  porker  over  one  shoulder  by  a  leg  and 
handing  her  the  boathook.  "  Help  yourself  along 
with  that,  and  we'll  go  back  by  way  of  the  bea^fif. 


124   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

You  never  could  climb  that  rough  lava  bed,  and 
besides,  we'll  see  what  the  shores  look  like  on  the 
way  home." 

Home!  Like  a  blow,  the  force  of  the  word 
struck  her,  A  lump  came  into  her  throat  and  she 
swallowed  hard  to  keep  the  tears  from  flowing 
again.  He  noticed,  and  turning  to  look  at  her,  a 
wave  of  real  sympathy  swept  over  him.  Her  waist 
\\^s  torn  by  brambles,  her  skirt  soiled  by  the  scram- 
ble up  the  steep  hill,  and  her  hair,  still  sticky  from 
the  salt  water,  was  half  tumbling  from  its  too  few 
pins.  It  would  have  been  a  cold  heart  that  would 
have  felt  no  pity  and  his  was  by  no  means  invul- 
nerable, hardened  follower  of  the  sea  though  he  had 
been  for  more  than  a  decade. 

"  Your  feet  do  hurt,"  he  said.  "  We'll  rest  here, 
and  you  can  wash  them  in  the  sea  if  you  like,  while 
I  do  a  little  more  exploring." 

He  threw  down  the  pig  and  helped  her  to  a  lump 
of  lava  that  was  lapped  by  the  waves,  where  she  sat 
down,  glad  of  the  chance  to  recover  her  poise  after 
her  recent  fright.  She  felt  grateful  to  him  for  his 
tact  in  leaving  her  to  herself,  and  proceeded  forth- 
with to  follow  his  suggestion.  Pulling  off  her 
stockings,  which  were  literally  in  shreds,  she  let  her 
feet  fall  into  the  water,  delicious  in  its  refreshing 
coolness,  and  watched  Starbuck  as  he  walked  here 
and  there  along  the  beach  some  distance  away,  ex- 


STARBUCK    ISLAND  125 

amining  the  sand  for  further  treasures.  Before 
long  she  saw  him  look  at  the  sun  as  if  anxious  to 
move  on,  and  with  some  reluctance,  reclothing  her 
feet  in  their  tatters,  she  presently  joined  him. 

They  took  up  the  march  again,  he  leading  rather 
slowly  out  of  consideration  for  her.  She  felt  much 
better  for  the  rest,  and  the  harder  sand  near  the 
water's  edge  was  much  easier  walking  than  the 
forest  floor  with  its  roots  and  rocks.  Examining 
carefully  every  feature  of  land  and  sea  and  reef  as 
he  went,  Starbuck  pointed  out  to  her  the  things 
that  he  observed.  He  appeared  to  know  much  of 
the  islands  of  the  Pacific.  He  had  also  read  of 
much  more  than  he  had  actually  seen,  and  explained, 
as  they  went  along,  the  characteristics  of  the  dif- 
ferent regions  both  north  and  south  of  the  Line. 
The  three  or  four  miles  back  to  the  stream  and  their 
only  abode  passed  much  more  quickly  than  she  had 
foreseen,  but  it  was  with  a  sigh  of  relief  that  she 
saw  ahead  the  smoke  of  the  fire  and  heard  the  crash 
of  a  falling  tree,  where  the  Frenchman  was  evi- 
dently still  at  work  obeying  instructions. 

As  they  neared  the  stream  she  said  quietly  to 
Starbuck:  "  I  wish  a  little  time  to  myself,  before  we 
begin  anything  new  in  the  way  of  the  day's  work, 
and  if  you  and  Monsieur  will  keep  to  the  beach  for  a 
little  while,  I  will  come  back  much  more  ready  to  do 
my  share." 


126        THE   CRADLE   OF   THE    DEEP 

Starbuck  acquiesced  silently,  with  a  grave  motion 
of  his  head,  and  watched  her  turn  aside  along  the 
course  of  the  brook  before  he  splashed  through  its 
shallows  to  join  the  Frenchman. 

Aubert  had  done  fairly  well  in  cutting  poles  for 
the  proposed  shelter  and  had  a  good  sized  pile  ready 
for  inspection.  Starbuck  gave  him  due  credit  for 
his  labours  but  the  slight  praise  was  forgotten  in 
the  sight  of  the  pig,  which  the  sailor  tossed  on  the 
sand.  Aubert,  hungry,  as  was  the  other  for  meat, 
clapped  his  hands  together  and  almost  shouted  in 
anticipation  of  the  feast  to  come. 

"  Shut  up,"  said  Starbuck,  shortlj,  "  any  one 
would  take  you  for  a  cannibal,  who  hadn't  seen  a 
shin  bone  for  a  month.  If  you're  so  crazy  about 
that  pig  you  can  dress  him  for  dinner." 

The  man's  face  fell  at  this,  but  seeing  that  Star- 
buck  was  in  earnest,  he  gingerly  picked  up  the  small 
carcass  and  was  about  to  plunge  the  knife  into  it, 
when  the  sailor  stopped  him. 

"  No,"  he  said,  "  I'll  do  it.  You'd  punch  his  hide 
full  of  slits.  Put  some  more  wood  on  the  fire  and 
get  me  some  of  that  sticky  earth  back  under  the 
trees.  No,"  he  shouted,  "  this  way,"  as  the  French- 
man innocently  started  up  the  brook. 

With  his  own  knife,  which  he  found  to  be  con- 
siderably dulled,  having  been  used  to  whittle  down 
saplings,  he  flayed  the  animal,  after  removing  the 


STARBUCK    ISLAND  127 

intestines,  which  he  cleaned  carefully  and  hung  on 
a  nearby  bush.  Next  he  wrapped  him  entire  in  a 
huge  plantain  leaf,  and  when  Aubert  returned, 
plastered  the  whole  with  the  clayey  earth.  Then, 
scraping  a  hole  in  the  ashes  of  the  fire,  he  laid  the 
pig  in  it  and  covered  it,  as  he  had  the  breadfruit, 
with  hot  stones,  and  finally,  heaped  up  the  earth. 

"  Now,"  he  said,  as  he  finished,  "  we'll  see  what 
sort  of  house  carpenters  we  are." 

Choosing  a  level  spot  between  two  cocoanut 
palms  just  back  of  the  slope  of  the  beach  and  fifty 
yards  or  so  from  the  stream,  Starbuck  marked  out 
a  circle  about  twelve  feet  in  diameter.  Tying  two 
of  the  Frenchman's  poles  together  at  their  tops  with 
a  lashing  of  bark,  he  bent  them  in  a  half  circle, 
sticking  the  ends  firmly  into  the  ground,  while  Au- 
bert held  the  centre.  With  two  others,  similarly 
tied,  he  crossed  these  at  right  angles,  dividing  the 
circle  of  ground  into  quarter  segments,  and  with 
many  more,  joined  in  the  same  manner,  the  space 
between  was  gradually  filled  up  until  the  whole 
looked  like  the  ribs  of  a  huge  umbrella.  Both  men 
now  gathered  quantities  of  great,  dry  cocoanut 
leaves,  and  beginning  at  the  bottom,  wove  them  in 
and  out  among  the  poles  to  form  the  thatch, 
strengthening  the  structure  at  intervals  with  vine 
stems,  which  were  passed  through  horizontally. 
Fired,  perhaps,  in  a  measure  by  the  energetic  ex- 


128   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

ample  of  Starbuck,  the  Frenchman  did  his  share 
and  the  work  progressed  well.  They  had  been  at  it 
for  several  hours  when  they  heard  a  voice  and 
turned  to  see  Miss  Channing  at  the  aperture  left  for 
the  door. 

"  Wonderful,"  she  exclaimed  in  surprise  at  the 
dwelling  which  had  sprung  up  out  of  nothing  in 
her  absence.  "  You  must  have  worked  very  hard 
to  do  all  this.  But,  as  the  walking  delegate  of  this 
union,  I  order  you  to  quit  or  lose  your  cards.  Isn't 
that  what  they  do,"  she  asked,  "  when  they  find 
men  working  over  time  ?  " 

Both  men  laughed  and  Starbuck  realized  it  was 
growing  late.  As  he  came  out  of  the  hut,  which 
still  lacked  a  good  part  of  its  roof,  he  noted  with 
surprise  the  change  in  her  appearance.  Her  hair, 
which  had  before  been  twisted  in  a  sticky  mass 
around  her  head,  was  smooth  and  shone  like  silk 
in  the  sun,  though  it  was  still  damp  about  her  ears, 
showing  that  she  had  been  washing  it  in  the  fresh 
water  of  the  stream.  He  glanced  with  almost  shy 
admiration  at  its  softness  and  abundance.  Her 
clothing,  too,  showed  the  effects  of  her  labours. 
Her  waist  was  clean  and  her  skirt  was  free  of  the 
spots  of  green  and  soil  that  had  stained  it  earlier  in 
the  day.  The  Frenchman  noted  the  change  also 
with  perhaps  a  bolder  glance  of  appreciation,  but 
neither  man  spoke  of  it. 


STARBUCK    ISLAND  129 

"  I  wanted  to  get  it  done  to-day,"  said  Starbuck, 
waving  a  hand  at  the  hut,  "  but  I'm  afraid  there 
isn't  time.  However,  we  can  throw  this  sail  over 
the  hole  in  the  top  and  it  will  do  until  to-morrow." 

While  Aubert  had  been  off  gathering  more  palm 
leaves,  Starbuck  had  found  time  to  make  a  sort  of 
screen  for  a  door  and  a  bar  with  which  to  fasten  it 
on  the  inside.    This  he  now  handed  to  the  girl. 

"  Here,  Miss  Channing,"  he  said,  "  are  the  keys 
of  your  bungalow  on  the  Beach  Promenade.  I  hope 
you  will  be  more  comfortable  than  you  were  last 
night.  And  now,"  he  continued,  as  he  moved 
toward  the  fire  to  escape  the  girl's  thanks,  "  our 
swell  dinner  of  roast  pig  must  be  about  done,  I 
should  say." 

With  a  stick  he  demolished  the  pile  above  the 
smoking  porker  and  the  savoury  odour  that  arose 
called  the  others  irresistibly. 

As  the  sun  sank  into  the  sea  they  made  a  hearty 
meal,  washing  it  down  with  clear,  cool  draughts  of 
water  from  the  stream,  and  they  had  ripe  cocoanuts 
for  dessert,  with  the  sweet  milk  for  a  liqueur.  The 
darkness  came  on  almost  at  once,  and  all  three, 
wearied  with  the  strenuous  activities  of  the  long 
day,  were  glad  to  rest.  The  men  carried  quantities 
of  grass  to  the  hut,  with  which  they  made  a  comfort- 
able couch  and  Starbuck  brought  the  two  sheets  he 
had  saved  from  the  sea.  * 


130   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

"Luxury!"  cried  the  girl,  as  she  watched  the 
preparations.  "  Unheard  of  luxury  for  a  castaway. 
But,"  she  added,  "  they  are  most  welcome.  That 
grass !    Ugh !   it  seemed  full  of  crawly  things." 

She  bade  them  good  night  and  entered,  barring 
the  screen  behind  her,  and  the  two  men  sought  their 
own  places,  which  they  had  prepared  side  by  side 
within  earshot  of  the  hut.  All  three  slept  soundly 
until  the  break  of  day. 


CHAPTER   IX 

WITH    DEATH    IN    THE   CUP 

The  morning  dawned  bright  and  calm.  Star- 
buck,  up  with  the  sun,  was  raking  apart  the 
banked-up  ashes  of  the  fire  in  search  of  live  coals, 
when  he  heard  a  step  on  the  beach  and  turned  to 
see  Miss  Channing  coming  toward  him  from  her 
hut. 

"  Good  morning,  Mr.  Starbuck,"  she  was  saying, 
"  it  seems  to  me  that  it  would  be  only  a  fair  division 
of  labour  for  me  to  take  charge  of  the  kitchen. 
You  men  will  have  enough  other  matters  to  attend 
to,  I  fancy,  to  want  to  be  free  of  such  things.  But 
we  ought  really  to  have  some  dishes.  We  need 
some  bowls  and  something  for  plates,  and  I  have 
been  thinking  even  of  knives  and  forks." 

Starbuck  smiled.  He  was  glad  to  see  that  the 
girl  was  beginning  to  take  a  real  interest  in  her  life 
as  a  castaway,  and,  that  she  should  first  propose 
something  that  would  contribute  to  the  comfort  of 
all,  increased  his  approval  of  her. 

"  Why,  yes,"  he  answered  readily,  "  In  our  walk 
yesterday,  I  saw  some  calabashes  growing  not  far 

131 


132   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

back  along  the  stream,  and  split  bamboo  will  make 
the  finest  kind  of  dinner  knives.  There's  some  of 
that,  too.  We  passed  a  clump  of  it  just  beyond  the 
point  there.  As  for  plates,  we'll  have  to  use  plan- 
tain leaves  until  we  can  make  something  better,  so 
there  we  are.  Not  so  difficult,  even  on  a  desert 
island." 

"  Anything  but  a  desert  island,  I  should  say," 
was  her  rejoinder,  as  she  set  about  helping  him 
gather  wood.  "  I'm  sure  we  are  living  at  the  height 
of  luxury,  with  all  the  fruits  of  the  Indies  growing 
over  our  heads,  and  all  ready  to  drop  into  our 
mouths,  though  really,  it  would  be  rather  painful 
to  have  that  literally  happen,"  she  concluded,  glan- 
cing aloft  where  a  bunch  of  nearly  ripe  cocoanuts 
hung,  fifty  feet  above. 

"  You  haven't  yet  tested  the  best  Starbuck  Island 
has  to  offer,"  said  the  owner  of  the  name,  fanning 
the  coals  into  a  blaze  with  a  piece  of  palm  leaf. 
"  There  is  betel  in  these  woods,  that  makes  your 
teeth  turn  red,  and  yams,  like  sweet  potatoes,  only 
a  dozen  or  so  times  as  big,  and  kava  root,  that  they 
make  punch  of  in  these  parts,  and  then,  best  of  all, 
palm  salad,  of  the  tender  shoots  of  the  leaves,  and 
palm  wine,  which  is  the  fermented  sap  of  the  form- 
ing blossom.  Oh,  no,  there  are  lots  of  things  to 
tickle  our  palates  besides  cocoanuts  and  bread- 
fruits." 


WITH    DEATH    IN    THE    CUP        133 

Turning,  he  saw  Aubert  close  at  his  elbow,  and 
the  two  men  exchanged  curt  nods. 

"  Aubert,"  he  said,  "  take  my  knife,  and  around 
the  point  you'll  find  a  bunch  of  bamboo.  Cut  the 
biggest  one  and  tow  it  in;  we  need  some  knives 
and  forks.  Breakfast  will  be  ready  by  the  time  you 
get  back,"  he  added,  as  he  saw  the  Frenchman  hesi- 
tate and  glance  at  the  preparations  Miss  Channing 
was  making. 

He  went,  and  Starbuck  disappeared  in  search  of 
his  calabashes,  returning  in  a  short  time  with  half 
a  dozen  of  all  sizes. 

"  When  these  are  dry  they  make  the  best  kind  of 
cooking  dishes,"  he  said,  carving  them  in  halves 
with  the  pocket-knife  belonging  to  Aubert,  which 
Miss  Channing  produced. 

While  the  breadfruit  was  cooking  the  sailor  went 
to  the  stream  and  brought  back  a  huge  armful  of 
dripping,  brownish  stuff,  which  he  threw  down  on 
the  beach  with  an  exclamation  of  satisfaction. 

"  This  is  a  piece  of  luck  I  did  not  expect,"  he  said, 
as  he  began  to  turn  the  mass  over.  "  These  once 
■were  cocoanut  husks,"  he  explained.  "  They  have 
lain  where  they  fell  in  the  stream  for  months,  prob- 
ably, and  everything  has  rotted  away  but  the  fibres. 
This  is  the  stuff  that  the  natives  make  their  rope 
with.  Coir,  they  call  It,  and  first-class  rope  it  is, 
too.    I've  seen  a  ship's  cable  of  this  that  was  better 


134   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

than  manila  and  almost  as  good  as  chain.  You 
wouldn't  think  those  little  short  fibres  would  cling 
together,  but  they  do,  and  they  never  rot." 

He  now  began  to  pick  the  fibres  from  the  heap, 
rolling  them  between  his  palms,  adding  more  and 
more  as  the  length  grew  until  he  achieved  a  long 
strand. 

"  We  won't  try  a  real  rope,  just  yet,"  he  said, 
"  but  I'll  show  you  how  to  make  sennit,  which  we'll 
need  a  lot  of." 

With  four  strands  he  started  a  braid,  which  grew 
under  his  fingers  into  a  round  cord,  which,  with  the 
material  at  hand,  could  be  continued  indefinitely. 

"  Want  to  learn  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Indeed,  I  should  love  to  try  it,"  cried  the  girl, 
and  forthwith  took  a  lesson,  picking  up  the  knack  so 
readily  and  going  on  with  the  piece  he  had  started 
with  so  few  mistakes  that  Starbuck  told  her  that  he 
would  make  an  A.  B.  of  her  in  half  a  dozen  lessons, 
so  far  as  seamanship  lay  in  rope  making. 

"  I  intend,"  said  Starbuck,  as  he  knelt  at  her  side, 
pointing  out  now  and  then  a  remedy  for  the  wrong 
turn  of  a  strand,  "  to  see  if  we  can't  raise  the  dinghy 
out  there  by  the  reef.  I've  thought  out  a  way  that 
will  take  a  lot  of  rope,  but  your  spare  moments  and 
mine  ought  to  grow  enough  in  a  week  or  so,  I 
should  think." 

As  he  spoke  he  gazed  out  toward  the  barrier 


WITH    DEATH    IN    THE    CUP        135 

where  the  waves  were  now  barely  breaking.  The 
boat,  he  knew,  must  lie  just  inside  the  gap. 

"  I'm  going  to  swim  out  there  and  have  a  look," 
he  said.  "  It  won't  take  long,  and  I'll  lay  that  the 
appetite  I'll  have  when  I  get  back  will  keep  the  rest 
of  that  pig  from  spoiling." 

"  Are  there  no  sharks  ?  "  cried  the  girl  in  alarm, 
as  Starbuck  without  more  words  started  down  the 
beach. 

"  I  don't  believe  so,"  he  called  back.  "  You  see 
this  island  hasn't  been  inhabited  for  two  or  three 
years  and  there  has  been  nothing  to  attract  the 
brutes.  They  hang  about  the  lagoons  of  populous 
islands,  feeding  on  refuse  and  now  and  then  a 
dainty  bit  of  man's  foot  or  leg.  I've  been  watching 
here  and  I  haven't  seen  a  fin  out  of  water  yet." 

Notwithstanding  his  reassurance  the  girl  was  dis- 
turbed. The  thought  of  anything  happening  to 
Starbuck  was  almost  appalling.  The  idea  of  being 
left  alone  with  Aubert  on  the  island  struck  a  chill 
to  her  heart,  for  he  had  already  shown  her  that  his 
type  was  that  of  the  boulevardier,  the  ogler  of 
women,  the  accoster  of  passing  girls.  She  remem- 
bered his  attempt  to  tell  her  of  his  silly  dream  and 
she  shuddered  at  the  suggestion  of  an  existence  that 
might  become  an  unspeakable  horror.  There  he 
was,  even  now,  before  her,  coming  along  the  beach 
dragging  behind  him  a  great  stalk  of  bamboo. 


136   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

With  almost  the  impulse  of  panic  she  leaped  to 
her  feet  and  ran  madly  down  the  beach  toward  Star- 
buck,  who  was  now  some  distance  away  and  walk- 
ing briskly  as  he  calculated  the  shortest  distance 
from  the  shore  to  the  break  in  the  reef.  He  was 
already  unfastening  his  shirt,  exposing  his  deep, 
muscular  chest  preparatory  to  plunging  in.  Pant- 
ing, partly  in  terror  and  in  part  with  exertion,  she 
seized  his  arm. 

"  Don't,  Mr.  Starbuck,  I  beg  of  you,  don't.  You 
mustn't !  I  —  I  can't  tell  you  —  Oh,  won't  you 
understand  ?  "  she  pleaded,  as  in  utter  amazement 
he  stared  down  at  her. 

"  Why,"  he  said  at  last,  as  she  clung  to  his  hand 
with  tears  rushing  to  her  eyes,  "  if  you  feel  that 
way  about  it  I  won't,  but  I  don't  believe  there's 
much  danger." 

"  Please,"  she  cried,  "  you  mustn't  misunder- 
stand. H  you  —  if  anything  should  happen  — 
don't  you  see?  I  should  be  alone  with  that  man. 
Alone  with  him  here,  on  this  island !  I  would  rather 
die!" 

Starbuck  now  saw  what  he  had  not  observed  be- 
fore; that  the  girl,  whatever  her  feeling  toward 
himself,  at  least  distrusted  Aubert,  and  in  view  of 
this  he  suddenly  felt  the  part  she  had  given  him  to 
play  in  this  drama  of  three  characters  was  that  of 
protector.     That  she  should  lay  bare  her  terror  be- 


WITH    DEATH    IN    THE    CUP        137 

fore  him  and  plead  for  his  guardianship  was 
enough.  Starbuck  fastened  his  shirt,  and  together 
they  turned  back,  the  man  talking  quietly  of  a  plan 
to  construct  some  kind  of  a  boat  which  should  assist 
him  in  his  scheme. 

This  little  scene  was  not  lost  on  Aubert  though 
he  did  not  dream  its  true  meaning.  The  day  before 
he  had  been  piqued  at  being  left  out  of  the  little 
exploring  excursion  and  the  ceremony  of  the  flag 
on  the  hilltop,  and  fearing  Starbuck,  and  in  conse- 
quence hating  him  cordially,  he  now  added  jealousy 
to  his  dislike.  This  common  sailorman,  he  con- 
sidered, was  taking  an  unfair  advantage  with  the 
girl,  for,  given  an  opportunity,  he  was  sure  he  could 
make  a  favourable  impression  on  her  as  he  had  done 
with  women  of  all  degrees  all  his  life.  It  was  not 
that  affection  prompted  his  feelings;  it  was  the 
pleasure  of  the  conquest,  the  satisfaction  of  count- 
ing another  coup  in  his  list  of  affaires  and  the 
gratification  of  his  vanity. 

Scowling,  he  threw  down  the  bamboo  and  mut- 
tered an  imprecation  against  Starbuck  for  a  Yankee 
pig,  but  he  was  all  smiles  when  they  came  up  and 
even  assisted  in  laying  out  the  smoking  breadfruit 
and  in  cracking  the  cocoanuts. 

Starbuck  now  tried  his  hand  at  a  new  dish. 
Bringing  out  the  saw-toothed  pearl  shell  he  had 
found  on  the  site  of  the  ruined  hut,  he  fixed  it 


138   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

firmly  in  the  cleft  of  a  stick,  and  taking  half  of  a 
nearly  ripe  nut,  flaked  off  the  meat  by  twisting  it 
over  the  sharp  teeth.  The  white  shreds  he  caught 
in  a  plantain  leaf  and  squeezed  through  a  handker- 
chief, which  he  had  washed  clean. 

A  creamy  foam  strained  through  the  cloth  and 
spread  itself  over  the  hot  fruit,  a  delicious  sauce 
which  the  girl  exclaimed  over  many  times  as  she 
ate. 

The  meal  over,  the  two  men  quickly  finished 
thatching  the  hut  and  Starbuck  outlined  his  plan  for 
building  a  boat. 

"  It  will  have  to  be  a  sort  of  catamaran,"  he  ex- 
plained, "  for  we've  no  tools  to  speak  of  and  it  will 
be  a  hard  job  at  best." 

Together  he  and  Aubert  started  for  the  interior 
of  the  island  to  look  for  a  suitable  log,  taking  with 
them  the  stone  axe,  which  had  been  fitted  to  a  helve 
with  lashings  of  rawhide.  Miss  Channing,  glad  to 
be  left  alone,  after  a  time  resumed  her  work  of 
sennit  braiding,  rapidly  becoming  even  more  pro- 
ficient than  Starbuck  himself  in  weaving  the  tough 
fibres  into  a  smooth,  round  fabric. 

The  men  were  gone  some  time,  and  at  last,  when 
she  heard  them  returning,  the  sun  was  high  over 
head  and  the  breeze  that  blew  in  from  the  sea  was 
grateful.  She  heard  them  struggling  in  the  woods 
long  before  they  finally  rolled  out  on  the  beach  ai 


WITH    DEATH    IN    THE    CUP        139» 

large  log,  some  two  feet  in  diameter  and  about 
eighteen  feet  long.  They  had  found  the  tree  up- 
rooted, they  said,  some  distance  up  the  valley,  had 
rolled  it  to  the  stream  and  floated  it  down  by  dint 
of  great  effort,  hoisting  and  prying  it  with  impro- 
vised cantdogs  over  rocks  and  shoals. 

The  log  was  now  horsed  up  at  a  convenient 
height,  and  with  stone  axe  and  adze,  the  two  set  ta 
work  to  round  the  ends  and  hollow  the  centre. 
Strenuous  work  as  it  would  have  been  with  tools  of 
steel,  with  these  primitive  implements  the  process 
"went  with  heart-breaking  slowness.  For  some  time 
the  girl  watched  in  silence  the  chipping  of  the  dull 
edges  upon  the  tough  wood. 

"  Why  don't  you  try  to  burn  it  out  ?  Isn't  that 
what  the  Indians  used  to  do  when  they  made  dug- 
outs ?  "  she  asked  finally. 

"  Good  for  you,"  was  the  hearty  response  of 
Starbuck  as  he  dropped  his  axe.  "  I  was  a  lubber 
not  to  think  of  it" 

With  fire  as  an  agent,  the  work  went  more  rap- 
idly, though  it  was  plain  that  it  would  be  days  be- 
fore the  log  took  on  even  the  rough  appearance  of  a 
canoe.  In  the  afternoon  they  stopped  and  gathered 
the  food  for  their  evening  meal,  and  Starbuck, 
though  tired,  shinned  the  leaning  trunk  of  one  of 
the  smaller  palms,  while  Aubert  and  the  girl 
watched  him   as  he  plucked   some   of   the   tender 


140   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

shoots,  still  enclosed  in  their  tough  sheaths.  Be- 
fore descending  they  saw  him,  with  the  haft  of  his 
knife,  bruise  the  spathe  that  enclosed  an  embryo 
flower  stalk. 

"  In  a  day  or  so,"  he  said,  "  that  will  be  full  of 
juice  and  they  say  it  makes  the  best  kind  of  a  drink. 
We'll  catch  it  in  one  of  these  calabash  bowls  when 
it's  ready." 

During  the  day  the  men  built  a  small  hut  for 
their  sleeping  quarters,  facing  the  beach  and  a  short 
way  from  the  girl's  shelter,  and  by  nightfall  all 
three  of  the  toil-worn  castaways  slept  the  delicious 
sleep  of  physical  weariness. 

As  usual,  Starbuck  was  early  astir,  and  though 
he  tried  to  arouse  Aubert,  the  man  was  dead  with 
sleep  and  unaccustomed  fatigue  and  he  gave  up  the 
attempt  until  he  should  have  started  the  fire. 
Emerging  from  his  shelter,  he  saw  the  girl  standing 
on  the  breeze-swept  beach,  gazing  out  to  sea  with 
her  eyes  shaded  by  her  hands.  She  did  not  turn  as 
he  approached,  and  when  finally  she  was  forced  to 
greet  him,  he  saw  that  her  eyes  were  moist  with 
scarcely  controlled  tears. 

"  I  was  looking  for  a  sail,"  she  said,  simply. 

"  I  know,"  said  Starbuck.  "  It  is  very  hard  for 
you  but  you  must  not  be  discouraged  yet  awhile. 
When  the  monsoon  changes  and  blows  from  the 
southwest  we  will  keep  a  lookout  in  earnest,  but 


WITH    DEATH    IN    THE    CUP        141 

now  I'm  afraid  the  chance  of  a  ship  hereabouts  is 
small." 

The  girl  answered  with  a  wistful  attempt  at  good 
cheer,  and  left  him  to  go  to  the  stream,  while  he 
looked  after  her  with  a  more  kindly  sympathy  in 
his  eyes.  Before  she  returned  he  climbed  the  palm 
with  a  calabash  swinging  from  his  neck  and  found 
the  flower  spathe  nearly  full  of  cool  liquid,  which 
he  drew  off  into  his  vessel. 

"  I  never  drank  any  of  this  stuff,"  he  said,  as  the 
girl  reappeared,  fresh  from  her  dip  and  glowing 
with  healthy  colour,  "  but  I  have  heard  men  say 
that  it's  the  best  there  is.  You  have  to  let  it  stand 
a  few  hours  to  ferment,  so  we'll  hang  this  bottle  on 
a  limb  back  there  in  the  shade  till  noon.  Say, 
there's  a  lot  of  it,  isn't  there  ?  "  and  he  let  her  sniff 
the  fragrant  contents. 

While  they  were  talking  Aubert  appeared  and 
Starbuck  caught  the  unpleasant  look  in  his  face  as 
he  came  up.  However,  he  knew  the  man  must  be 
lame  and  sore  with  his  hard  work  of  yesterday,  and 
his  evident  ill  humour  did  not  impress  him  as 
strange.  All  the  morning  the  two  men  dug  at  the 
log,  burning  and  hacking  out  the  wood  as  best  they 
might.  While  eating  their  lunch  at  noon,  Starbuck 
startled  them  with  an  exclamation. 

"  I  believe  it  can  be  done !    I'm  sure  of  it!  " 

The  other  two  waited  for  an  explanation. 


142   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

"  Turn  wrought  iron  into  steel,"  he  said.  "  That 
boathook  and  the  rings  on  the  boat's  mast  are 
wrought  iron,  and  if  I  had  a  crucible  I'd  start  a  steel 
trust  right  here  and  now,  and  an  axe  is  the  first 
thing  I  would  make  with  my  infant  industry.  You 
have  to  have  the  right  kind  of  clay,"  he  went  on 
excitedly,  turning  to  Miss  Channing,  **  and  I  noticed 
something  that  might  do,  up  on  the  slope  of  the 
hill." 

Seizing  a  calabash  bowl,  he  hastily  directed  Au- 
bert  for  the  continuance  of  the  work  on  the  boat, 
and  saying  that  he  might  be  gone  an  hour  or  more, 
he  departed  through  the  trees,  leaving  the  girl  look- 
ing after  him  anxiously. 

After  clearing  away  the  debris  of  the  luncheon 
and  heaping  more  wood  on  the  fire,  which  was  being 
constantly  used  now  in  the  work  of  making  the 
dugout,  the  girl  settled  herself  again  at  her  rope 
making.  It  was  not  hard  work  and  she  rather  en- 
joyed seeing  the  strong,  brown  cords  grow  under 
her  fingers.  Absorbed  in  her  occupation,  she  took 
no  notice  of  Aubert,  who  had  sullenly  seized  his 
tools  and  was  aimlessly  chipping  away  at  the  inside 
of  the  log.  At  the  end  of  a  few  moments  he  dropped 
his  adze  and  went  away,  soon  returning  to  take  up 
his  work  once  more.  Within  a  short  time  he  did 
this  again,  but  the  girl  did  not  heed.  After  an  in- 
terval the  Frenchman  came  to  the  fire  for  coals,  and 


WITH    DEATH    IN    THE    CUP        143 

instead  of  at  once  returning  to  his  work,  stopped, 
and  seating  himself  by  her  side  began  to  talk.  At 
first  she  was  silent,  answering  him  in  monosyllables, 
hoping  that  he  would  go  away,  but  soon  his  con- 
versation began  to  take  a  personal  tone  and  she 
determined  to  dismiss  him  if  possible. 

"  Monsieur  Aubert,"  she  said,  "  do  you  not  think 
we  are  wasting  time  talking  here?  Mr.  Starbuck 
is  anxious,  I  know,  to  finish  the  boat  as  soon  as. 
possible,  for  he  says  that  soon  the  monsoon  will 
change  and  there  will  be  rough  weather.  He  wishes 
to  try  raising  the  ship's  boat  out  there  by  the  reef 
before  storms  interfere  and  possibly  shift  its  posi- 
tion or  drag  it  out  to  sea.  I  think  that  we  should 
remember  that  he  is  working  and  planning  every 
waking  moment  to  release  us  from  this  island,  and 
we  should  be  willing  to  do  our  share  at  his  direc- 
tion." 

"  Ah,  Starbuck !  "  cried  the  man,  almost  inter- 
rupting her.  "  Yes,  it  is  always  Starbuck  with  you. 
Always  I  find  you  together.  You  utterly  disregard 
the  warning  I  have  given  you.  You  do  not  care. 
You  even  welcome  him  and  his  base  attention." 

"  Stop,"  cried  the  girl,  starting  to  her  feet. 
"  How  dare  you  say  such  things  to  me,  you,  who- 
have  already  proved  yourself  to  be  a  coward  in  a 
woman's  presence." 

Watching  him  narrowly,  she  saw  his  black  eyes 


144   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

light  evilly  as  he  began  to  make  protest  that  she  had 
misunderstood  him. 

"  It  is  no  insult  that  I  offer,  Mademoiselle,"  he 
vociferated,  gesticulating  with  hands  and  shoulders. 
"  It  is  that  you  have  become  blinded  by  this  man, 
that  you  do  not  weigh  him  with  a  mind  of  calmness. 
You  have  what  you  call,  the  wool  pulled  over  the 
eyes.  You  no  longer  have  discernment,  wliile  I,  I 
would  lay  down  my  life  to  protect  you,  Mademoi- 
selle, even  though  you  have  given  me  no  reason." 

"  Monsieur  Aubert,"  she  retorted,  "  I  have  no 
need  of  your  protection.  Mr.  Starbuck  I  believe  to 
be  a  man  of  honour,  and  at  least  he  has  treated  me 
with  a  consideration  that  you  have  not  shown.  I 
will  thank  you  to  return  at  once  to  your  work  and 
to  leave  me  to  myself,  not  only  now  but  hereafter." 

Turning  abruptly,  she  walked  away  from  him 
down  the  beach,  while  he,  with  rolling  eyes,  looked 
after  her,  muttering  to  himself  rapidly,  grimacing 
and  shrugging. 

For  some  little  time,  angry  at  his  rebuff,  the 
Frenchman  stood  watching  her  now  diminutive  fig- 
ure in  the  distance.  He  returned  to  the  dugout  and 
picked  up  the  stone  adze  but  threw  it  down  again 
in  disgust,  and,  looking  slyly  about,  made  another 
of  his  little  excursions. 

Miss  Channing  found  herself  more  shaken  by  her 
encounter  than  she  would  have  liked  to  admit.    To 


WITH    DEATH    IN    THE    CUP        145 

steady  herself  she  walked  briskly,  letting  the  breeze 
blow  through  her  hair,  cooling  her  face  and  neck 
with  its  grateful  breath.  She  foresaw  trouble  from 
this  man  and  wondered  what  she  ought  to  do.  Tale- 
bearing was  most  distasteful  to  her,  yet  unless  she 
hinted  to  Starbuck  of  her  discomfiture  she  would 
never  feel  safe  when  he  left  her  side.  In  a  quandary 
she  sat  down  facing  the  sea  and  tried  to  reason  the 
matter  out.  Her  position,  in  the  nature  of  it,  was 
sufficiently  anomalous  without  the  added  complica- 
tion of  a  man  whose  foolish  attentions  were  likely 
to  grow  into  a  serious  annoyance. 

A  quick,  irregular  step  on  the  sand  behind  her 
set  her  atremble  as  she  sprang  to  her  feet,  half  ex- 
pecting to  see  Starbuck  himself.  Instead,  she  saw 
Aubert  approaching  rapidly  from  the  direction  of 
the  camp.  The  change  in  his  appearance  was  as 
startling  as  his  presence.  His  eyes  were  half  blood- 
shot and  his  face  wore  a  cunning  grin,  as  with  a 
slight  unsteadiness  he  came  toward  her. 

"  Ah,  my  Mademoiselle,"  he  was  saying,  "  I 
could  not  bear  it  that  you  should  be  angry  with  me, 
I  who  adore  the  very  sand  under  your  pretty  feet. 
I  cannot  believe  that  you  should  prefer  that  low 
Starbuck  to  me,  a  gentleman  of  Paris.  Surely  I 
see  regard  for  me  in  your  beautiful  eyes,  even  when 
you  would  have  me  believe  that  you  detest.  I  come 
to  plead  with  you,  Mademoiselle,  to  beg  of  you  not 


146   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

to  trifle  with  the  grand  passion  of  a  man  who  would 
be  your  slave,  who  cares  only  for  you,  who  loves 
you  to  distraction.  Regard  me,  then,  upon  my  very 
knees  asking  for  your  favour." 

Riveted  to  the  spot  in  amazement  and  terror,  she 
«aw  him  throw  himself  at  her  feet  and  felt  her  hand 
seized  in  his  and  his  hot  mouth  upon  her  palm. 
The  touch  startled  her  to  action  like  the  shock  of  a 
battery.  Jerking  her  hand  away,  she  swept  it  with 
a  full  stroke  of  her  arm  across  his  face,  and  turning, 
sped  up  the  beach  with  a  choking  scream.  Aubert, 
his  cheek  stinging  with  the  blow  and  his  passion 
aroused  to  sheer  madness,  was  after  her  in  an  in- 
stant. With  great  strides  he  gained  upon  her.  She 
heard  him  coming,  and  with  a  wild  glance  over  her 
shoulder  her  fright  increased  to  a  panic.  She 
screamed  as  she  felt  his  hot  breath  on  her  neck.  A 
hand  clutched  her  shoulder,  another  dragged  at  her 
hair,  and  in  an  instant  more  she  was  in  his  arms, 
struggling,  helpless,  his  bearded  lips  pressed  to  hers 
in  a  horrid  embrace,  stifling  her  cries. 
.  Neither  heard  the  heavy  footsteps  on  the  beach; 
neither  heard  the  shout  of  rage  nor  saw  the  figure 
of  Starbuck  tearing  toward  them. 

Half  fainting  as  she  lay  in  Aubert's  tightening 
clasp,  she  felt  a  sudden  shock.  The  arms  about  her 
loosened  and  she  fell  to  the  sand,  panting,  half 
blinded  by  fright,  sobbing  with  the  terror  of  the 


WITH    DEATH    IN    THE    CUP        147 

attack.  Vaguely,  at  first,  she  realized  that  some- 
thing had  happened  to  save  her,  but  it  was  several 
seconds  before  the  identity  of  Starbuck  forced  itself 
upon  her  dazed  brain.  Wakened  into  a  more  vivid 
consciousness  by  an  oath,  round  and  savage,  as  it 
came  from  his  set  teeth,  she  opened  her  eyes  to  watch 
a  scene  that  remained  sharp  and  clear-cut  in  her 
memory  for  ever. 

Starbuck  had  returned  with  his  fire  clay,  and  on. 
reaching  the  camping  place,  had  instantly  missed 
both  Miss  Channing  and  Aubert.  Stepping  out  on 
the  beach,  he  was  just  in  time  to  catch  the  girl's 
faint  cry  and  to  see  the  pursuing  Frenchman  lock 
her  in  his  bestial  embrace.  Flinging  his  burden 
from  him,  the  sailor  with  a  bellow  dashed  down 
the  beach,  a  whirlwind  of  living  force,  bent  on 
punishment,  swift  and  deadly  certain.  He  raged  as 
the  girl's  helpless  struggles  told  him  of  her  dire 
need,  and  a  hot  torrent,  rushing  to  his  brain,  threw 
a  blood-red  film  across  his  vision  as  at  last  he  hurled 
himself  up>on  the  man,  grasping  his  throat  in  a  grip 
that  exulted  in  the  feel  of  the  soft  flesh  as  his  finger 
ends  sank  deep. 

With  a  choking  cough  the  man  let  the  girl's  body 
drop  away,  and  with  both  hands  in  a  spasmodic 
clasp  on  the  arm  that  held  him,  sought  to  free  him- 
self. He  twisted  and  jerked  his  body  from  side  to 
side,  loosening  the  hold  that  throttled  him.     Gasp- 


148   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

ing,  his  face  purple,  blotched,  his  eyes  popping  out- 
ward under  bulging  lids,  the  Frenchman  now  real- 
ized that  he  was  fighting  for  his  very  life. 

The  two  men  half  circled  about  each  other^  each 
trying  to  compass  a  fall.  Starbuck's  hold  with  his 
right  hand  had  shifted  to  Aubert's  clothing  and  the 
light  material  of  his  shirt  was  giving  away.  The 
Frenchman  had  succeeded  in  getting  a  counter 
hold  on  Starbuck's  neck,  jamming  his  thumb  under 
the  ear  and  causing  the  most  exquisite  pain.  Twist- 
ing out  of  his  grasp,  Starbuck  attempted  to  trip  the 
man,  and  failing,  ducked  under  the  questing  hands 
and  seized  him  around  the  body,  pressing  his  face 
into  the  hollow  of  the  shoulder  to  escape  the  snap- 
ping jaws,  whose  teeth  clicked  together  in  vain  at- 
tempt to  fasten  upon  his  throat.  Hugging  with  all 
the  strength  that  was  in  his  great  arms,  Starbuck 
felt  the  Frenchman's  back  hollow  as  he  sought  to 
escape  the  crushing  violence. 

They  rocked  and  swayed  together,  panting  in 
tremendous  effort.  The  Frenchman  spat.  Twist- 
ing suddenly,  with  one  foot  off  the  ground,  he 
eased  the  pressure  from  his  cracking  spine  and 
brought  it  under  the  arm.  Starbuck,  silent,  terrible, 
maddened  with  the  struggle  itself,  now  felt  the 
Frenchman's  free  hand  searching  for  his  eye-balls 
with  its  thumb.  Raising  his  head,  he  suddenly  lifted 
his  right  arm,  bringing  the  heel  of  his  hand  under 


WITH    DEATH    IN    THE    CUP        149 

Aubert's  chin.  With  a  great  heave  of  arm  and 
shoulder,  he  pushed  the  head  back,  twisting  it  far 
to  one  side,  and  at  the  same  time  dropped  to  his 
right  knee,  the  man's  back  lying  over  his  left. 
Something  snapped;  there  was  a  convulsion  of  the 
sprawling  limbs.  The  tense  body  collapsed  and 
rolled  over  into  the  sand,  face  downward. 

White-faced,  her  eyes  staring,  Eleanor  Channing, 
tmder  the  spell  of  a  horrible  fascination,  had 
watched  the  struggle,  her  body  stiff  with  fright, 
leaning  forward  as  she  sat,  her  arms  outstretched, 
her  hands  clutching  at  the  sand.  She  saw  the 
mighty  heave  of  Starbuck's  shoulders  as  he  caught 
the  Frenchman  in  the  death  grip,  and  she  saw  the 
limp  body  drop  on  its  face  and  lie  still.  A  feeling 
of  triumph  and  immense  relief  was  displaced  the 
next  instant  by  a  wave  of  revulsion  that  nauseated 
her  inmost  being.  The  complete  horror  of  it  all 
swept  over  her  as  she  saw  at  last  that  the  man  was 
dead.  She  had  sat  by  and  had  seen  him  killed,  his 
life  snuffed  out  by  the  two  hands  of  the  man  before 
her  as  she  might  extinguish  a  candle. 

The  reaction  from  intensity  of  emotion  left  her 
weak  and  trembling,  shaken  In  every  nerve,  sick 
with  fright  and  the  shock  of  her  own  assault.  She 
hardly  realized  what  had  taken  place,  and  still  less 
that  while  the  battle  lasted,  she  herself  had  watched 
with  the  veritable  ferocity  of  a  savage,  almost  cry- 


150   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

ing  out  at  every  advantage  won  by  her  champion, 
taking  an  untamed  delight  in  what  seemed  to  her 
just  punishment,  praying  with  a  wild  fervour  that 
Starbuck  might  triumph. 

Starbuck  had  risen,  and  was  standing  over  the 
fallen  man,  his  arms  hanging  loosely  by  his  sides, 
his  fingers  half  curled.  His  jaw  protruded,  his 
under  lip  hung  slack,  baring  his  teeth,  and  his  eyes, 
half  closed,  still  shone  with  the  exultation  of  con- 
flict. His  shirt,  torn  to  strips,  hung  about  his 
waist,  leaving  the  upper  part  of  his  body  nude  and 
covered  with  red  splotches  where  the  Frenchman's 
hands  had  gripped  him.  From  his  shoulder,  where 
the  other's  teeth  had  met  in  a  last,  desperate  defence, 
the  blood  welled  and  trickled  down  his  arm,  drip- 
ping steadily  from  the  ends  of  his  fingers.  He  stood 
with  all  his  muscles  relaxed,  yet  alert,  as  if  waiting 
for  his  enemy  to  rise  and  again  confront  him. 

Finally,  seeing  no  motion  in  the  man's  body,  he 
stooped,  and  grasping  it  by  the  shoulder,  turned  it 
over  with  a  jerk.  The  head,  bent  backward  at  an 
unnatural  angle,  wobbled  from  side  to  side  and  the 
wide  open  eyes  stared  up  at  him  glassily.  The  lips, 
drawn  back  with  the  intensity  of  the  last  flashing 
pain,  seemed  to  grin.  Slowly  Starbuck  knelt  and 
laid  a  hand  on  the  left  breast.  No  throb  was  there, 
and  with  the  tardy  realization  that  Aubert  was  dead, 
came  a  breaking  of  the  spell  of  battle.    He  brushed 


WITH    DEATH    IN    THE    CUP         151 

his  hand  across  his  eyes,  and  noticed  the  blood  on 
his  fingers  and  the  condition  of  his  clothing.  He 
turned  his  head  and  saw  the  girl,  her  face  buried 
in  her  hands,  rocking  to  and  fro  on  the  sand,  silent, 
horrified. 

Hastily  he  wiped  his  blood-stained  arm  on  the 
remnants  of  his  shirt  and  stepped  toward  her. 

"  Oh,  don't,  don't  touch  me !  "  she  barely  whis- 
pered, "  don't  come  near!  " 

"  But  you  mustn't  stay  here,"  he  said  in  a  low 
tone.  *'  Come,  you  need  not  look.  Go  back  to  the 
camp.  I  understand.  It  must  have  been  awful  for 
you." 

For  a  moment  she  did  not  move ;  then,  as  if  call- 
ing upon  herself  for  a  great  effort,  she  slowly  rose, 
her  face  averted  and  still  covered  with  her  hands. 
She  staggered  a  little  as  she  stood  erect  and  Star- 
buck  stretched  out  a  hand,  thinking  she  was  about 
to  fall.  She  shuddered  as  he  touched  her  arm  and 
shrank  away  from  him  as  from  an  unclean  thing. 
He  made  no  effort  to  direct  her,  but  watched  as  she 
hesitatingly  drew  her  hands  from  her  face  and 
walked  unsteadily  in  the  direction  of  the  camp.  He 
did  not  follow. 

Standing  in  his  tracks,  he  saw  her  finally  dis- 
appear into  her  hut;  then  he  turned  and  looked 
once  more  at  the  body  on  the  sand. 

In  swift  resolution  he  turned  the  pockets  of  the 


152        THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

trousers  inside  out,  finding  the  comb  and  nothing 
more. 

Hesitating  a  few  moments  to  be  sure  she  should 
not  see,  he  shouldered  the  body  with  an  effort  and 
walked  heavily  down  the  beach  in  the  opposite 
direction,  bending  beneath  his  grim  burden.  He 
kept  on  until  he  had  rounded  the  point,  out  of 
sight,  and  laid  the  corpse  down,  looking  at  it  as  if 
undecided  as  to  its  disposal.  Finally  he  began  strip- 
ping off  the  clothing,  which  he  made  into  a  small 
bundle. 

Now  he  was  in  a  quandary.  Having  no  tools 
with  which  to  dig  a  decent  grave,  he  thought  of 
throwing  the  body  into  the  sea,  but  this  plan  he 
abandoned  when  it  occurred  to  him  that  it  would 
probably  attract  sharks,  which  later  would  be  a 
menace.  The  sun  was  getting  low  in  the  west,  re- 
minding him  that  whatever  was  to  be  done  must  be 
done  quickly.  He  doubted  that  he  could  bury  the 
corpse  deep  enough  to  render  it  secure  from  the 
fiogs  on  the  island,  so  at  last  the  only  plan  left 
was  that  of  fire. 

Once  having  come  to  a  decision  he  acted  quickly. 
He  did  not  wish,  for  obvious  reasons,  to  return  to 
camp  for  coals,  and  the  alternative  was  the  labori- 
ous and  primitive  process  he  had  first  employed. 
He  set  to  work,  however,  and  after  much  effort 
made  a  blaze.    Stepping  into  the  tangle  of  growth 


WITH    DEATH    IN    THE    CUP        153 

he  returned  again  and  again,  laden  down  with  dry- 
wood  and  the  great  leaves  of  the  cocoa  palm,  which 
burn  with  a  hot  flame.  Piling  these  loosely  cris- 
crossed  on  the  wet  sand  where  the  water  almost 
lapped  the  sticks,  he  built  a  funeral  pyre  shoulder 
high,  upon  which  he  placed  the  body.  Carrying 
embers  from  his  small  blaze,  he  ignited  the  mass, 
and  in  a  moment,  fanned  by  the  breeze,  the  flames 
were  leaping  high  above  the  dead  man,  lighting  up 
his  white  skin,  their  red  tongues  licking  at  his  face, 
singeing  off  his  hair  and  beard.  Starbuck  watched, 
now  and  then  inserting  palm  branches  and  leaves 
to  quicken  the  blaze. 

The  gathering  darkness  began  to  shut  in  the  circle 
of  weird  light,  and  in  the  centre  the  corpse  glowed 
above  the  coals.  The  limbs  seemed  to  twist  and 
writhe  in  the  fierce  waves  of  heat,  while  the  living 
man,  his  half-naked  body  lit  by  the  glow,  his  skin 
blood-flecked  from  his  dripping  wound,  came  and 
went,  piling  fresh  fuel  on  the  pyre,  engrossed  utterly 
in  his  grisly  task. 

In  fifteen  minutes  the  body  was  cinder  black;  in 
an  hour  it  was  ashes  and  the  pile  a  smouldering 
heap.  Starbuck  pushed  what  remained  far  into  the 
sea  and  turned  homeward.  In  the  darkness  when 
he  arrived,  there  was  no  sign  of  Miss  Channing. 
He  went  to  her  hut  and  found  the  screen  barred  in 
place.    He  spoke  softly  to  her  but  received  no  reply, 


154   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

though  he  heard  her  start  at  the  sound  of  his  voice. 
•Going  down  to  the  sea,  he  stripped  and  plunged  into 
the  low  surf,  cleansing  himself  of  the  marks  of  bat- 
tle, and  returning,  bound  up  his  torn  shoulder  as 
well  as  he  could  with  the  pieces  of  his  shirt.  The 
latter  was  a  great  loss  to  him  as  it  was  his  only  body- 
garment,  and  he  wondered  what  he  should  do  to 
cover  his  nakedness,  for  Aubert's  shirt,  also,  was  so 
torn  as  to  be  unwearable. 

The  girl,  too  distressed  to  eat,  had  crept  to  the 
privacy  of  her  hut,  supperless.  Too  distraught  to 
cook  himself  anything  or  even  to  scrape  a  raw 
cocoanut,  Starbuck  sought  his  own  couch  of  grass, 
but  not  to  sleep.  He  lay  a  long  time  thinking  of 
the  deed  he  had  done., 

It  was  no  murder,  he  reasoned,  but  a  fair  fight 
and  the  best  man  had  won.  He  had  stood  as  the 
protector  of  a  defenceless  woman.  He  had  killed 
her  enemy  and  burned  his  body  but  his  hands  were 
clean  of  crime.  Though  his  act  had  been  done  in  * 
madness  after  the  outrage  he  had  seen,  yet  he  was 
conscious  that  it  had  to  be,  for  no  punishment  short 
of  death  was  severe  enough  to  maintain  its  effect. 
The  man  he  likened  to  the  captive  tiger,  docile  until 
it  tastes  fresh  blood,  and  after  that  never  safe.  Even 
civilized  law  would  exonerate  him,  he  thought,  and 
here,  under  the  palms  and  the  sky  there  was  no  law 
but  the  law  of  Nature  and  of  Nature's  God,  and 


WITH    DEATH    IN    THE    CUP        155 

that  great  precept,  he  felt,  would  hold  him  blameless 
should  he,  in  the  days,  perhaps  months  to  come, 
keep  himself  blameless.  Protector  he  had  chosen  to 
make  himself;  protector  he  must  remain. 


CHAPTER   X 

THE   CLEAN   AIR   OF    MORNING 

The  first  matter  that  occupied  Starbuck's  atten- 
tion upon  awakening  was  the  matter  of  clothing. 
Without  a  shirt  he  was  scarcely  fit  company  for  a 
woman  of  Miss  Eleanor  Channing's  breeding,  and 
he  surveyed  the  ruins  of  his  only  upper  garment  in 
something  like  despair.  By  laying  the  pieces  to- 
gether, however,  he  saw  that  a  skilful  needle  might 
make  at  least  a  covering  for  his  breast  and  back, 
and  though  he  well  knew  the  consequences  of  baring 
his  arms  to  the  blistering  sun,  there  was  no  help  for 
it.  In  the  Frenchman's  knife  was  the  needle  he 
wanted,  and  with  threads  drawn  from  the  linen  and 
twisted  to  the  proper  strength,  his  sailor's  aptitude, 
after  half  an  hour's  stitching,  put  him  in  pyosses- 
sion  of  a  sleeveless  tunic,  frail  enough,  but  service- 
able for  the  time  being. 

Putting  it  on  and  rather  proud  of  his  handiwork, 
Starbuck  stepped  out  into  the  sunlight.  To  his  sur- 
prise he  found  that  the  fire  had  been  rebuilt,  a 
breakfast  eaten,  and  Miss  Channing  had  again  re- 
tired to  her  hut.     After  a  moment  of  indecision  he 

156 


THE    CLEAN    AIR    OF    MORNING     157 

stepped  quietly  to  the  entrance,  which  was  closed 
and  barred,  and  spoke  to  her,  asking  if  she  was  well, 
and  if  he  could  serve  her  in  any  way.  In  a  voice 
scarcely  audible,  that  trembled  as  she  spoke,  she 
replied  that  she  was  not  ill  and  wanted  nothing. 
She  desired  only  to  be  left  alone  for  a  time,  she  said. 

Understanding  something  of  the  terrible  shock 
the  experiences  of  the  day  before  had  been  to  her, 
Starbuck  spoke  a  few  words  of  assurance  that  she 
would  presently  be  herself  and  left  her.  Casting 
about  for  some  little  attention  that  he  could  show, 
he  thought  of  the  calabash  full  of  palm  wine  that 
he  had  hung  on  the  tree  to  ferment.  Going  to  the 
spot,  he  was  amazed  to  find  the  bowl  still  hanging 
where  he  had  left  it,  but  empty.  A  light  suddenly 
broke  upon  him,  and  he  saw  in  a  flash  how  the 
Frenchman  had  found  the  place;  how  in  repeated 
visits  he  had  drunk  the  liquor,  which,  mounting  to 
his  brain,  had  caused  his  insane  attack  upon  the  girl, 
and  in  turn,  his  own  awful  punishment.  Starbuck 
cast  the  bowl  into  the  bushes  as  an  unclean  thing 
and  returned  to  the  beach. 

He  examined  carefully  the  progress  made  on  the 
dugout  and  it  became  plain  to  him  that  without 
proper,  or  at  least  more  efficient  tools,  he,  single 
handed  as  he  now  was,  would  not  be  able  to  shape 
the  obdurate  material  into  anything  like  a  craft  for 
weeks.     More  than  ever,  now,  he  needed  an  axe. 


158   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

and  the  determination  grew  upon  him  to  attempt  to 
turn  what  wrought  iron  he  had  into  steel. 

After  a  hurriedly  eaten  breakfast,  taking  the  boat- 
hook  and  the  largest  of  the  bowls,  he  started  for  the 
head  of  the  valley  for  another  load  of  clay,  of  which 
he  brought  back  some  thirty  pounds,  depositing  it 
in  the  shade  of  the  green  growth  near  the  stream. 
His  plan  was  to  fuse  the  boathook  head  and  the 
iron  rings  in  a  clay  crucible  with  dry  wood  and 
leaves,  as  he  had  seen  the  process  while  on  a  voyage 
to  India  and  Ceylon.  He  was  aware  that  to  do  this 
a  high  temperature  would  be  needed,  which  could 
only  be  supplied  by  a  blast  of  air  directed  into  his 
fire  on  the  principle  of  a  blacksmith's  bellows. 

To  this  end  he  built  with  rough  stones,  picked 
up  near  the  beach,  a  small,  conical,  hollow  pile,  with 
two  openings  at  the  ground  and  another  at  the  top, 
having  about  half-way  up  in  its  interior,  supports 
of  stone  jutting  out  from  the  inner  surface,  intended 
to  hold  the  clay  crucible. 

As  he  built,  he  lined  the  interior  with  clay  mixed 
with  sand,  until  the  structure  was  tight;  and  the 
crevices  of  the  outer  walls  he  filled  with  the  same 
material,  heaping  earth  over  the  whole.  Now  his 
problem  was  a  bellows.  Taking  the  boathook  once 
more,  before  it  should  for  ever  lose  its  character,  he 
departed  from  the  beach. 

Hearing  his   retreating   footsteps   grow   fainter 


THE    CLEAN    AIR    OF    MORNING     159 

until  at  length  they  died  away,  Miss  Channing  ven- 
tured forth  from  her  retreat.  She  listened,  and 
finding  that  Starbuck  was  apparently  gone  for  some 
little  time,  she  went  to  the  stream,  bathed,  and  or- 
dered her  dress  as  best  she  could.  The  lack  of  soap 
was  an  extreme  annoyance  to  her,  and  the  sand  and 
water  that  she  made  shift  to  use  in  its  stead  was 
roughening  and  painful  to  her  skin,  already  deeply 
burned  by  the  sun.  Returning  somewhat  reluctantly 
to  the  beach,  for  the  depth  of  shade  by  the  brook 
was  cool  compared  with  the  glaring  sand,  she  was 
mystified  by  the  cone-shaped  structure  the  sailor 
had  built.  However,  she  was  too  far  occupied  with 
her  own  thoughts  to  wonder  greatly,  and  seating" 
herself  near  the  hut,  s;he  fell  to  wondering  at  her 
ultimate  fate,  her  thoughts  always  returning  to  the 
terrible  nightmare  she  had  passed  through,  the  red 
memory  of  which  brought  a  shudder  and  a  searing 
flash  of  terror  that  left  her  brain  numb  with  its 
vividness. 

She  felt,  as  again  and  again  the  scene  returned^ 
that  unless  she  turned  her  thoughts  into  other  chan- 
nels she  would  go  mad;  but  something  seemed  to- 
enshroud  her  mind  with  a  cloud  of  doubt,  out  of 
which  rose  Starbuck,  with  whom  she  was  now  left 
alone.  Whether  he  would  continue  his  impersonal 
relations  with  her  or  whether,  having  fought  and 
vanquished  his  rival,  he  would  turn  to  claim  her  as 


160   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

the  price  of  his  victory,  she  did  not  know.  If  the 
latter  were  to  be  her  lot,  she  would  frustrate  it  by 
ending  her  life.  She  decided  this  quite  calmly.  If 
the  former  were  to  be  his  attitude,  she  would  accept 
it,  meeting  him  half-way  in  friendly  intercourse,  de- 
pending upon  whatever  force  of  personality  she  pos- 
sessed to  hold  him  beyond  the  line  she  would  draw, 
the  crossing  of  which  would  mean  the  end. 

Her  thoughts  were  interrupted  by  the  snapping 
of  twigs  and  the  rustle  of  rasping  bushes,  and  she 
turned  to  see  the  man  with  whom  now  lay  her  fate 
coming  slowly  through  the  sun-splotched  valley. 
As  she  had  last  seen  him,  he  was  bare  above  the 
waist  and  his  skin  was  scratched  in  many  places  by 
the  brambles  he  had  passed  through.  She  saw  him, 
unconscious  that  she  was  watching,  stop,  and  half 
concealed  by  the  thicket,  take  a  white  garment  from 
a  branch.  When  he  resumed  his  way,  dragging  some- 
thing behind  him,  she  noted  that  he  was  partially 
clothed  once  more.  She  did  not  retreat  to  her  shel- 
ter but  sat  expectantly,  gazing  across  the  beach  at 
the  sea.  Still  not  seeing  her,  he  stepped  out  of  the 
shade  and  flung  down  a  heavy  body,  and  she  heard 
him  sigh  with  evident  satisfaction. 

"  Two  birds  with  one  stone,"  she  heard  him  mut- 
ter as  he  bent  over  what  he  had  brought.  "  Dinner 
and  my  bellows,  all  at  one  heave  of  the  iron." 

She  stirred  and  he  looked  around. 


THE    CLEAN    AIR    OF    MORNING     161 

"  Good  morning,"  he  called,  "  or  is  it  afternoon. 
I've  been  hunting,"  and  he  stepped  back  to  show  her 
the  carcass  of  a  sizable  hog,  freshly  killed. 

"  I  was  worried  about  you  this  morning,"  he 
said,  as  he  advanced.  "  I  know  you  must  have  suf- 
fered. It  was  a  hard  place  for  a  woman  like  you, 
but  I  was  proud  of  you,  the  way  you  took  it." 

She  made  a  little  motion  with  her  hands  as  if  to 
stop  him,  but  he  went  on. 

"  It  was  the  only  way,"  he  said,  in  an  even  tone, 
"  you  must  know  that.  You  never  would  have  been 
safe  after  yesterday.  I  discovered  the  reason 
too,"  he  continued,  after  a  pause.  "  The  man  was 
drunk.  The  bowl  of  palm  wine  that  we  forgot  to 
drink ;  he  found  it  and  it  must  have  made  him  crazy. 
He  might  have  done  it  again  at  any  time.  You  see, 
don't  you,  that  there  was  nothing  else  to  do  ?  " 

He  looked  at  her  anxiously  as  he  spoke  his  simple 
argument,  as  if  trying  to  discover  whether  her 
horror  still  included  him  in  its  unreasoning  prej- 
udice. 

"  I  know,"  she  said  at  last,  in  a  low  tone,  "  I 
know.  I  should  never  have  been  safe.  I  felt  it  all 
along,  from  the  very  first ;  in  the  boat,  even,  before 
he  lied  to  me." 

"Lied  to  you?"  questioned  Starbuck,  sharply. 
"  Lied  about  what  ?  " 

She  had  said  more  than  she  intended,  and  now. 


162   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

his  interest  aroused,  she  would  have  to  explain.  She 
hesitated,  reddening  painfully  and  turning  away, 

"  When  did  he  lie  to  you,"  again  queried  Star- 
buck,  '*  and  what  did  he  say?  " 

"  He  said,"  spoke  the  girl  finally,  looking  up 
bravely  and  searchingly  into  the  man's  face  as  with 
a  scowl  of  intentness  he  bent  to  listen.  "  It  was 
the  day  we  landed.  He  said  that  the  reason  you 
struck  him  in  the  boat  was  because  he  was  coming 
to  my  aid.  That  you  —  you  were  bending  over  me 
as  I  lay  asleep,  and  he  thought —  Oh,"  she  broke 
ofif,  "  I  know  it  wasn't  true,  was  it  ?  You  have 
been  kind  and  I  —  I  could  not  believe  him,"  she 
finished,  with  a  sob  that  choked  her  voice. 

"  The  lying  dog !  "  broke  from  the  man's  lips,  as 
be  clenched  his  great  fists  vnth  almost  a  snarl  of 
satisfaction  at  what  had  been  their  work  of  yester- 
day. 

As  she  saw  the  sincerity  of  his  action,  horribly 
suggestive  though  it  was,  and  heard  the  low  note  of 
anger  and  contempt  that  came  with  it,  her  heart  grew 
lighter  with  the  belief  that  the  worst  she  had  to 
fear  was  past  and  that  this  man  would  hold  her  in 
"honour  until  they  were  free.  As  she  looked  at  his 
blazing  eyes,  at  the  shaggy  head,  at  the  great  breast 
muscles  undulating  through  the  thin  film  of  linen, 
and  saw  his  indignation  at  the  insinuations  of  Au- 
bert,  she  could  not  but  believe  in  him.     Rough  he 


THE    CLEAN   AIR    OF   MORNING     163 

might  be,  and  brutal  enough  to  take  a  man's  life 
with  his  bare  hands,  but  his  heart  was  clean  toward 
her.  She  noticed  that  the  bandage  he  had  roughly- 
tied  about  his  injured  shoulder  had  slipped,  and 
that  the  wound  was  bleeding  afresh.  Partly  from 
real  sympathy  with  his  hurt,  which,  though  ugly 
looking  caused  him  little  real  inconvenience,  and 
partly  from  a  desire  to  end  the  painful  topic,  she 
turned  and  entered  her  lodge,  returning  with  a  strip 
of  cloth  which  she  had  evidently  just  torn  from  one 
of  her  precious  sheets. 

"  You  must  let  me  bind  up  that  shoulder  prop- 
erly," she  said,  "  even  now  the  flesh  looks  red  and 
inflamed  all  about  and  I'm  sure  it  should  be  cleaned." 

She  made  a  soft  pad  with  a  part  of  the  cloth,  and 
after  washing  the  ragged  tear  carefully,  she  band- 
aged the  spot  as  deftly  as  a  nurse  could  have  done, 
going  around  the  arm  pit,  over  the  shoulder,  across 
the  breast  and  back,  with  proper  turnings,  finally 
tying  the  ends  firmly  in  a  square  knot. 

"  Where  did  you  ever  learn  to  do  that?  "  he  in- 
quired, as  he  watched  the  process  with  some  ad- 
miration. "  Why,  a  real  doctor  has  nothing  on 
you.  And  the  knot,  too ;  a  real  reef  knot !  I'll  lay 
you  are  the  only  woman  in  this  latitude  who  could 
have  done  that." 

Pleased  with  his  appreciation,  she  told  him  that 
she  had  taken  First  Aid  lessons,  once,  with  a  class  of 


164   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

other  girls.  The  square  knot  was  a  part  of  the  cur- 
riculum, she  declared,  and  it  had  taken  her  longer  to 
learn  than  anything  else. 

He  laughed,  and  told  her  that  if  he  ever  got  any- 
time he  would  teach  her  knots  that  would  make  the 
rest  of  the  class  look  like  land-lubbers.  As  she  tied 
the  bandage  she  noticed  his  remarkable  shirt,  a  thing 
veritably  of  shreds  and  patches,  fearfully  and  won- 
derfully made. 

"  And  you,"  she  cried,  "  I  must  compliment  you 
on  your  feminine  accomplishment,"  and  she  pointed 
to  the  slight  garment. 

"  Oh,  that,"  he  smiled,  "  I  made  that,  and  not 
out  of  whole  cloth,  either,  early  this  morning,  be- 
fore you  were  up.  I  didn't  have  time  to  do  any 
fancy  stitches,  but  if  I  had  the  thread  I  could  show 
you  the  real  thing  in  the  sewing  line.  Besides,  it 
isn't  female  work  for  a  sailor.  It's  part  of  our 
business." 

"  Why,  of  course,"  she  said,  examining  the  work 
with  greater  interest,  "  I  forgot  sailors  could  sew. 
But  where  did  you  get  your  needle  and  thread?  " 

He  explained  and  handed  her  the  knife,  showing 
her  the  various  implements  it  contained,  and  gave  it 
to  her,  remarking  as  he  looked  at  her  costume,  that 
she  was  likely  to  need  some  repairing  herself  before 
many  days. 

"  I  know,"  she  said,  glancing  at  her  soiled  waist 


THE    CLEAN    AIR    OF    MORNING     165 

and  torn,  patdied  skirt.  "  What  on  earth  shall  we 
do  ?  These  things  are  all  I  have  and  they  will  soon 
be  in  tatters." 

"  Well,"  he  answered,  "  we  can  make  cloth,  I 
suppose.  I  have  seen  the  Marquesans  do  it  and  it 
looks  easy  enough.  And  that  reminds  me  that  it 
takes  some  time  to  prepare  the  stuff,  so  we'd  best  be 
about  it  now.  They  make  it  of  bark,"  he  explained, 
"  and  call  it  tappa.  The  inner  bark  of  the  hibiscus 
or  mulberry  tree  is  soaked  in  a  running  brook  under 
a  stone  and  aired  every  few  days  until  the  woody 
part  is  rotten  and  the  tough  fibres  only  are  left. 
Then  they  beat  it  with  a  kind  of  stick  and  the  trick 
is  done.  If  you  care  to  be  busy  you  might  strip  the 
bark  and  put  it  in  the  stream." 

He  showed  her  the  hibiscus  growing  all  about 
them,  and  armed  with  a  knife  she  started  forth  to 
follow  his  instructions. 

"  But,  first,"  she  said,  pointing  to  the  conical 
heap  of  rocks  and  earth,  "  tell  me  what  you  are  do- 
ing there." 

*'  This  is  my  steel  plant,"  he  gravely  replied. 
"  To  finish  the  canoe  I  need  an  axe,  and  I  am  going 
to  make  one,  if  I  can,  out  of  the  boathook.  That  is 
my  furnace.  I'll  show  you  when  I'm  ready  to  fire 
up." 

She  went  about  her  bark  gathering,  and  He  at- 
tacked the  pig,  which  he  carefully  skinned  without 


166   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

opening  the  belly,  so  that  the  hide  came  off  prac- 
tically whole.  With  his  stone  axe  he  cut  two  small 
trees  with  crotches  at  their  tops,  and  planting  them 
in  position,  lashed  with  sennit  a  horizontal  bar 
across  the  two.  Under  this  frame  he  placed  the 
skin,  in  the  under  side  of  which  he  had  cut  a  round 
hole.  On  the  inside  he  fastened  a  flap  of  the  stiffen- 
ing hide  of  the  pig  he  had  previously  killed,  to  act 
as  a  valve  over  the  intake,  and  now,  with  a  weight 
to  press  the  bag  down,  and  a  counterpoise  and  lever 
over  his  framework,  it  became  evident  that  his  bel- 
lows was  to  be  a  success. 

The  bamboo,  that  had  lain  idle  since  the  French- 
man brought  it  in  was  now  requisitioned,  and  to  a 
length  of  it  the  neck  of  the  skin  was  fitted.  On  the 
end  of  the  pipe  thus  made,  he  moulded  a  joint  of 
clay,  w(hich  connected  directly  with  the  smaller  open- 
ing of  his  furnace,  through  which  a  blast  of  air 
could  now  be  pumped  at  will.  It  was  a  rough  ar- 
rangement, born  of  patience,  much  planning,  sev- 
eral failures  and  hard  work,  and  before  it  was 
completed  the  day  was  nearly  over. 

Starbuck  dropped  his  tools  and  went  up  the  valley 
for  some  distance,  calling  to  the  girl  that  he  would 
be  back  shortly.  She  had  been  so  busy  with  her 
bark  peeling  and  its  disposition  in  the  brook,  that 
the  long  afternoon  had  passed  quickly  for  her,  and 
now,  wearied  with  perhaps  the  first  real  physical 


THE    CLEAN    AIR    OF    MORNING     167 

labour  she  had  ever  done,  she  was  glad  to  rest  and 
await  his  return.  A  change  from  their  simple  bill 
of  fare,  as  promised  by  the  pig,  was  a  welcome  one, 
and  though  she  knew  the  flesh  ought  to  be  prepared, 
she  could  not  bring  herself  to  touch  the  greasy  car- 
cass that  lay  in  the  shade  of  a  tree  close  by.  How- 
ever, Starbuck  was  soon  back,  his  hands  full  of 
small  nuts  that  looked  not  unlike  common  buckeyes. 

"  There's  that  pig,  and  I  forgot  all  about  him," 
were  his  first  words  as  he  dropped  the  nuts  at  her 
feet.  "  While  I  cut  off  a  roast  you  peel  the  shells 
off  those  and  string  them  on  a  cocoanut  fibre." 

Wondering  she  obeyed,  making  a  long  rope  of 
twenty  or  more.  The  meat  of  the  nuts  was  very 
oily,  she  noticed,  and  she  vaguely  supposed  that  they 
had  to  do  with  some  new  kind  of  cookery.  But  Star- 
buck,  nodding  approval  at  the  string,  paid  no  further 
attention  to  it  and  having  dressed  his  meat,  he  buried 
it  in  the  coals. 

In  the  descending  dusk  the  fire  made  a  cheerful 
ring  of  light,  and  the  man,  coming  and  going,  con- 
cerned in  little  tasks  of  the  camp,  hummed  to  him- 
self in  his  preoccupation.  His  strong,  alert  figure, 
his  bronzed  face,  in  queer  contrast  to  the  white 
skin  of  his  shoulders  and  neck,  his  bare  arms,  in 
which  the  great  muscles  rippled  and  coiled  under 
the  smooth  skin,  showing  new  shapes  and  shadows 
with  every  movement,  and  withal,  his  pleasant,  clear 


168   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

cut  face,  with  its  direct  blue  eyes,  altogether  made 
a  picture  that  she  did  not  try  to  keep  herself  from 
watching. 

The  steady  plash  of  the  milk-white  surf  at  the  foot 
of  the  beach  and  the  serenity  of  the  sky  as  the  stars 
came  out,  one  by  one  at  first,  then  by  constellations 
and  finally  in  myriads,  all  combined  to  give  Eleanor 
Channing  a  feeling  of  security,  if  not  of  content, 
which  she  had  not  known  for  what  seemed  to  her  an 
eternity. 

Their  meal  over,  they  were  preparing  to  retire  to 
their  respective  huts  when  Starbuck  asked  for  the 
rope  of  nuts.  Tying  it  to  a  green  stick  at  intervals 
along  its  length,  he  lighted  one  end  in  the  coals  of 
the  dying  fire,  and  to  her  surprise  here  was  a  candle 
to  light  her  to  bed ;  not  a  brilliant  torch,  it  was  true, 
but  one  that  burned  steadily,  giving  off  a  sort  of 
bluish  flame,  each  nut  lasting  about  ten  minutes. 
Digging  out  a  hole  in  the  bottom  of  an  empty  cocoa- 
nut  shell,  into  which  he  thrust  the  butt  of  the  stick, 
he  handed  it  to  her,  and  cautioning  her  not  to  set  fire 
to  the  roof  of  her  house,  he  bade  her  good  night. 

"  I  count  myself  privileged,"  she  said,  as  he  held 
aside  the  screen  for  her  to  enter,  "  to  be  cast  away 
with  a  genius  and  an  inventor,"  and  nodding 
brightly  to  him  she  disappeared. 

The  morning  found  them  again  busily  at  work, 
she  with  her  sennit  braiding  and  he  with  his  fur- 


THE    CLEAN    AIR    OF   MORNING     169 

nace,  which  he  had  left  unfinished.  With  clay 
which  he  had  previously  baked,  pounded  to  powder 
and  mixed  with  fresh  clay,  he  made  a  small  crucible 
into  which  he  put  the  head  of  his  boathook  and  the 
rings  by  which  the  sail  had  been  attached  to  the 
boat's  mast.  These,  together  with  some  finely 
broken  bits  of  perfectly  dry  wood  and  dead  leaves, 
he  sealed  up  hermetically  with  a  clay  cover,  and 
placed  the  finished  crucible  on  the  supports  inside 
his  furnace,  partly  closing  the  top  with  clay  down 
to  a  small  aperture  some  six  inches  across.  The 
furnace  had  been  filled  with  dry  wood,  the  pieces 
being  heaped  underneath  and  about  the  crucible, 
and  now  he  was  ready  for  the  lighting.  The  girl 
had  watched  the  last  part  of  his  preparations  with 
increasing  interest  and  showed  a  good  grasp  of  the 
idea  which  he  explained.  It  was  an  old,  old  process, 
he  said,  that  had  been  used  in  India  since  time  un- 
known. The  product  of  wrought  iron  carburized  in 
this  fashion  was  Wootz,  he  told  her,  and  made,  if 
properly  treated,  a  very  pure  product  highly  valued 
for  tools  and  weapons. 

With  the  fire  lighted,  Starbuck  stood  by  the  bel- 
lows and  blew  his  air  blast  into  the  flames,  which 
rose  about  the  retort  with  a  roar,  leaping  finally 
from  the  low  chimney  and  spouting  sparks  that 
made  Miss  Channing  fear  for  the  safety  of  her  only 
home.     As  more  fuel  was  needed  she  supplied  it. 


170   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

feeding  the  furnace  steadily.  In  two  hours  or  a 
little  more,  Starbuck  announced  that  the  process 
should  be  complete  and  the  fire  was  allowed  to  die 
out,  but  the  crucible  was  too  hot  to  touch  for  some 
time  and  the  man  turned  to  a  new  occupation. 


CHAPTER   XI 

WHAT    MANNER   OF    MAN 

Miss  Channing's  need  of  shoes  had  become 
alarmingly  apparent,  so  much  so,  in  fact,  that  she 
had  taken  up  the  habit  of  completely  concealing  her 
feet  as  much  as  possible  when  he  was  about,  for 
they  were  bruised  and  tender  from  the  rough 
ground  and  the  sand  that  continually  sifted  through 
the  cracked  leather. 

Picking  up  the  partly  dry  pig  skin,  Starbuck,  with 
the  sharp  edges  of  two  shells,  nipped  the  bristles 
from  the  hide.  He  then  kneaded  and  rubbed  and 
twisted  the  skin  until  it  was  soft,  and  with  his  knife, 
which  he  had  whetted  to  an  edge  on  a  smooth  stone, 
he  cut  two  peculiar  shaped  pieces  and  two  others  of 
a  smaller  size.  Next,  he  startled  Miss  Channing 
with  a  demand  to  see  her  foot,  which  she  showed 
with  some  laughing  embarrassment  at  its  present 
condition,  but  at  the  same  time  thankfully,  as  she 
saw  that  it  meant  new  shoes.  From  a  bit  of  wood 
he  carved  and  whittled  a  rough  last  and  finally, 
with  a  thread  of  twisted  hibiscus  fibre  he  stitched 
a  pair  of  moccasins  that  would  have  done  no  small 

171 


172        THE    CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP, 

credit  to  a  Sioux  squaw.  Delighted,  she  slipped 
them  on  and  while  they  were  scarcely  comportable 
with  fashion's  law,  they  were  at  least  far  more 
comfortable  than  the  footwear  she  had  been 
using. 

By  now  the  crucible  was  cool  enough  to  handle, 
and  lifting  it  from  its  bed,  Starbuck  cracked  it  open 
to  find  in  the  bottom  about  three  pounds  of  smooth, 
'hard  metal.  Hugely  pleased,  he  at  once  set  about 
building  a  new  arrangement  in  which  to  heat  his 
steel  to  the  forging  point.  With  more  rocks  he 
built  a  low  structure,  connecting  his  bellows  with  its 
■under  side  by  means  of  a  new  pipe  of  clay.  When 
the  metal  was  hot  he  removed  it  with  two  sticks  to 
a  flat  stone  that  was  to  serve  as  an  anvil,  and  beat 
the  sparkling  mass  with  the  back  of  his  stone  axe 
until  he  had  flattened  out  a  part  which  he  judged  to 
be  a  little  over  two  pounds  weight.  With  the  girl 
to  hold  the  stone  adze  with  its  edge  against  the 
steel,  he  managed  to  cut  off  the  piece  desired,  return- 
ing this  immediately  to  the  forge. 

The  problem  of  shaping  the  tool  now  confronted 
him.  With  no  tongs,  the  hot  metal  was  difficult  to 
handle,  but  by  prying  off  the  copper  band  of  the 
broken  oar  blade,  he  made  a  loop  of  metal,  which  he 
attached  to  a  stick,  so  that  by  catching  the  steel  in 
its  bight  he  was  able  to  turn  it  on  the  anvil  in  the 
process  of  shaping.    Without  means  to  make  a  hole 


WHAT    MANNER    OF    MAN  173 

in  the  head  of  the  axe  for  the  admission  of  a  helve, 
he  decided  to  model  the  new  tool  after  the  stone  im- 
plement, so  that,  with  a  green  rawhide  lashing,  a 
cleft  stick  would  serve  for  a  handle. 

By  dint  of  much  labour  the  tool  was  finished  ex- 
cept for  tempering,  which  was  easily  done  by  heat- 
ing to  redness  and  plunging  into  a  calabash  full  of 
water.  The  axe  now  needed  only  to  be  ground  and 
fitted  to  its  handle  to  become  the  keen,  serviceable 
article  of  which  he  stood  in  such  need.  It  was 
rough,  and  its  balance  was  imperfect,  but  for  his 
purpose  it  was  priceless.  With  its  first  testing  on  a 
tall  palm,  he  was  satisfied  beyond  his  greatest  hopes, 
and  as  the  tree  came  crashing  to  the  ground  he  noted 
that  the  edge  had  neither  turned  nor  lost  its  keen- 
ness. 

Knowing  his  anxiety  to  complete  the  dugout, 
with  some  surprise  Eleanor  saw  that  with  the  be- 
ginning of  the  next  day  he  did  not  turn  at  once  to 
this  work,  but  taking  his  axe,  disappeared  up  the 
beach,  returning  laden  down  with  bamboo  poles. 
While  she  was  at  the  stream  attending  to  her  soak- 
ing bark,  she  heard  him  chopping  furiously,  and 
great  was  her  surprise  when  on  her  return  she 
found,  already  partly  constructed,  a  verandah  for 
the  front  of  her  lodge.  The  bamboo  uprights  and 
rafters,  sloping  from  the  roof  of  the  hut  far  down 
in  a  shading  canopy,  were  neatly  lashed  with  sennit 


174   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

and  he  had  begun  to  weave  a  thatch  of  leaves.  She 
aided  in  bringing  the  supply  and  before  noon  the 
shelter  was  completed.  And  none  too  soon,  for 
clouds  now  began  to  overspread  the  sky,  and  before 
their  luncheon  was  finished,  the  downpour  began. 
He  was  about  to  retire  to  his  own  hut  when  she 
invited  him  to  hers  and  they  both  took  shelter  under 
the  newly  made  porch,  occupying  themselves  for  a 
time  by  discovering  and  stopping  the  leaks  that  fre- 
quently occurred. 

The  rain  continued.  There  was  not  much  wind 
but  at  times  the  downpour  was  terrific.  It  beat 
upon  the  beach  before  them,  the  drops  hollowing  out 
little  cups  in  the  sand  with  their  force.  Before  long 
the  brook,  which  had  until  now  been  a  quiet,  well- 
behaved  rivulet,  swelled  into  a  roaring  torrent, 
whose  rush  could  be  heard  above  the  sound  of  the 
rain,  and  which  overflowed  its  banks  in  places,  flood- 
ing a  part  of  the  glade  behind  the  hut.  But  the 
lodge  itself  stood  at  the  height  of  the  beach  and  was 
apparently  safe  from  inundation. 

Sitting  there  together  without  occupation,  a  new 
strangeness  seemed  to  fall  upon  the  man  and  woman. 
In  the  busy  hours  that  had  gone  before,  their  con- 
versation seemed  to  turn  itself  naturally  upon  their 
work,  their  hopes,  their  successes  and  their  failures, 
but  now,  in  this  new  and  enforced  proximity  of  their 
imprisonment  by  the  elements,  there  seemed  to  come 


WHAT    MANNER    OF   MAN  175 

to  the  man  a  half  embarrassment  that  kept  him 
silent.  She  sought  to  turn  the  talk  to  their  chances 
of  rescue  but  his  indefinite  replies  discouraged  her 
and  at  last  she  was  forced  either  to  find  some  new 
topic  of  mutual  interest  or  to  fall  herself  into  an 
awkward  silence. 

And  here  an  opportunity  presented  itself  to  learn 
what  she  had  vaguely  wondered  from  time  to  time. 
Who  was  this  man,  her  only  friend  in  the  world 
into  which  she  had  been  dropped  by  a  strange  des- 
tiny? What  was  he?  Whence  had  he  come? 
Whither  was  he  going?  What  were  his  traditions, 
his  aims  and  his  ambitions? 

"  Does  it  ever  occur  to  you,"  she  said  at  last,  after 
the  pause  in  their  talk  had  grown  to  a  long  interval, 
"have  you  ever  thought  of  me,  here,  alone  on  an 
island  in  the  sea  with  a  man  of  whom  I  know  ab- 
solutely nothing?  Until  after  we  landed  I  did  not 
know  your  name,  and  even  now  that  is  all  I  know, 
except,  let  me  see  —  that  you  were  born  in  Nan- 
tucket; that  your  mother  was  a  Macy  and  her 
mother  a  Coffin ;  that  you  were  second  officer  of  the 
late  Marquesas,  and  that  you  have  been  sometime  in 
the  islands  of  that  name.  And  that  is  all,"  she  con- 
cluded, with  a  mock  sigh  of  despair.  "  It  isn't 
much,  is  it,  for  one  to  know  of  a  person  who  has 
saved  one's  life  and  —  " 

She  broke  off  suddenly,  reddening. 


176   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

Roused  by  the  sound  of  her  voice,  Starbuck 
turned  and  smiled. 

"  Well,  Miss,"  he  began,  but  she  stopped  him 
with  a  gesture  of  impatience. 

"  Please,  Mr.  Starbuck,"  she  pleaded,  "  don't  call 
me  *  Miss.'  It  sounds  so  like  the  new  footman  at 
home,  and  besides,"  she  added,  smiling  at  him,  "  in 
our  present  savage  state,  it  seems  to  me  that  formali- 
ties are  impossible.  Would  you  mind  if  I  asked  you 
to  call  me  by  my  name,  Eleanor  ?  " 

Starbuck,  utterly  unprepared,  was  at  a  loss  how  to 
meet  this  little  show  of  friendliness  and  good-fellow- 
ship. He  had  accustomed  himself  to  treat  her  still 
as  a  passenger  of  the  ship,  who  was  to  be  respected 
and  cared  for  with  delicate  attention,  and  who,  if 
approached  in  any  other  attitude  would  doubtless  be 
entirely  justified  in  showing  him  his  place  as  a 
steamer  official  and  in  no  sense  a  friend.  Conscious 
now  that  she  was  trying  to  show  her  trust  in  him 
and  her  appreciation  of  the  great  services  he  had 
rendered  her,  Starbuck  stammered  his  willingness, 
though  he  made  no  attempt  to  use  the  name. 

Seeing  his  difficulty,  she  went  back  to  her  first 
approach  and  asked  him  to  tell  her  of  the  place 
where  he  had  been  born. 

Thus  led  out  of  his  embarrassment,  Starbuck  be- 
gan easily  to  tell  of  his  boyhood.  It  seemed  that  he 
had  not  had  much. 


WHAT    MANNER    OF    MAN  177 

"  Have  you  ever  been  on  Nantucket  ? "  he  asked. 
"  Well,  I  was  born  in  one  of  those  queer  old  cot- 
tages with  the  roofs  that  slope  down  almost  to  the 
ground  behind.  My  father  was  captain  of  a  whaler 
out  of  New  Bedford  and  I  was  named  for  him.  As 
I  first  remember  him  he  was  a  kindly  old  man,  more 
than  sixty  even  when  I  was  a  youngster,  tall  and 
thin,  with  a  straight  back  and  gray  eyes  that  seemed 
to  look  way  through  you.  He  was  a  good  father 
to  us  boys  and  girls,  I  guess,  though  we  didn't  see 
very  much  of  him.  His  voyages  were  long  ones, 
and  almost  every  time  he  came  home  there  would 
be  a  new  one  of  us.  And  it  was  the  newest  that  got 
most  of  his  attention. 

"  There  were  eight,  all  told,  five  boys  and  three 
girls,  running  up  a  good  deal  like  a  flight  of  stairs. 
I  was  next  to  the  oldest  and  after  David  went  off  to 
sea  with  Father,  '  The  Skipper,'  we  always  called 
him,  I  was  head  of  the  family.  Mother  was  not 
well  the  last  of  her  life  and  the  younger  ones  were 
a  great  deal  of  trouble.  Up  to  fourteen  I  went  to 
school  in  the  winter  and  made  fishing  trips  to  the 
Georges  in  the  summer  with  Uncle  Dave.  I  was 
cook  of  a  fisherman  when  I  was  a  dozen  years  old, 
and  they  said  I  was  a  good  one. 

"  I  never  had  much  schooling  after  that  and  when 
I  was  fifteen,  Mother  died." 

Starbuck  stopped  a  moment  as  if  in  thought. 


178   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

"  She  said  to  me  that  day,"  he  continued,  after  a 
pause,  "  '  John,'  she  said,  '  idleness  is  the  worst  of 
all  sins.  Work  and  aim  for  the  top  and  even  if  you 
don't  reach  it  you  will  be  a  man.' 

"  When  Father  came  home  from  his  three  years' 
cruise  he  found  David  a  berth  as  second  mate  of  a 
bark  in  the  South  American  trade  and  took  me  with 
him  in  the  forecastle.  I  found  out  then  that  Father 
at  home  and  Father  at  sea  were  about  as  much  alike 
as  black  and  white.  He  was  a  driver.  You've 
heard  of  what  they  call  American  hell  ships?  Well, 
the  Betsey  CofUn  was  one,  or  at  least  I  thought  so, 
never  having  been  on  a  real  voyage  before. 

"  I  was  a  big,  strong  boy  for  my  age  and  I  did 
a  man's  work,  hand,  reef  and  steer  along  with  the 
rest.  That  I  was  the  skipper's  son  made  no  differ- 
ence, and  perhaps  it  was  just  as  well,  for  the  men 
that  made  up  that  crew  would  have  made  my  life 
something  to  be  got  rid  of.  I  learned  to  eat  salt 
liorse,  and  biscuit  that  the  weevils  would  run  from, 
but  I  throve  on  it,  I  guess,  for  at  the  end  of  two 
years  I  was  strong  as  an  ox  and  could  hold  my  own 
with  the  best  of  them.  We  had  hard  luck  that 
voyage.  Sperm  was  scarce  and  the  price  of  oil  so 
low  that  right  whales  were  hardly  worth  the  taking. 
But  we  stuck  out  till  our  provisions  were  gone  and 
then  headed  around  the  Horn  home.  At  Pernam- 
buco  Father  caught  the  fever  and  died  in  port.    The 


WHAT    MANNER    OF    MAN  179 

mate  took  her  home,  and  I  was  left  stranded,  with 
the  skipper's  lay  to  be  divided  among  eight.  It 
wasn't  much  I  can  tell  you. 

"  Dave  was  making  good  and  he  turned  most  of 
his  pay  in  to  help  out  the  rest  and  I  did  the  same. 
There  was  enough  to  pay  their  board  while  they 
went  to  school,  and  as  my  mother's  sister  took  the 
three  youngest  and  my  Uncle  Obadiah  the  other 
three,  they  were  well  enough  fixed.  I  hadn't  any 
great  love  for  a  whaler  but  I  had  to  do  something, 
and  the  first  chance  that  offered  was  the  ship  Pequot, 
Capt.  Zenas  Lee,  bound  on  a  two  years'  cruise.  I 
shipped  as  boat  steerer  and  we  had  good  luck.  We 
cruised  off  the  Cape  Verdes  for  a  while  and  when 
the  sperm  got  running  scarce  we  made  across  the 
Line  down  to  Punta  Arenas  and  through  the  straits. 

"  We  didn't  waste  much  time  in  the  South  Pacific, 
but  made  for  the  Alaskan  grounds,  where  we  spent 
the  summer,  with  the  try-works  mostly  going  full 
blast.  When  it  commenced  to  freeze  up  there  along 
in  the  first  part  of  October  we  went  south  again  and 
fooled  around  the  groups  of  islands  below  the  Line, 
touching  now  and  then  in  the  Gilberts,  Samoa,  the 
Fijis  and  lastly  the  Marquesas. 

"  That  was  where  I  picked  up  the  little  I  know 
about  island  life.  The  ship  put  in  for  water  and 
fresh  meat  and  fruits,  for  we  had  scurvy  aboard. 
We  got  pretty  free  shore  liberty  and  the  natives 


180   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEE 

used  us  well.  Another  man  and  I  were  sent  oflF  for 
a  last  cask  of  water  just  before  the  ship  sailed  and 
while  we  were  gone  the  consul  informed  the  skipper 
that  small-pox  had  broken  out  on  the  island,  Nuka- 
hiva,  it  was,  and  '  all  hands  '  wasn't  too  quick  for 
Cap'n  Zenas  Lee  to  get  his  anchor  off  the  bottom 
and  set  his  courses. 

"  Marooned,  we  were,  in  that  place  for  three 
months,  so  I  got  pretty  close  to  some  of  the  native 
ways  of  doing  things. 

"  I  worked  my  passage  to  Callao  in  the  stoke-hole 
of  a  British  tramp  and  from  there  I  made  my  way 
somehow  to  Panama  and  home  in  a  fruiter.  As  my 
lay,  or  share,  in  the  cargo  of  the  Pequot  was  pretty 
good  money,  for  she  was  a  full  ship  when  she  left 
Nukahiva,  I  was  anxious  to  get  it,  so  I  waited  at 
home,  or  rather  in  my  relations'  homes,  till  she  was 
reported,  and  then  went  to  New  Bedford  to  collect. 
But  the  skipper  said  I'd  deserted  and  refused  to 
settle. 

"  I  went  to  a  lawyer  and  he  wanted  me  to  fix  it 
out  of  court  for  a  quarter  part  of  what  was  coming 
to  me.  But  I  was  bound  I'd  have  it  all  or  nothing, 
so  I  got  another  lawyer  and  he  took  up  the  case  in 
earnest,  wrote  to  the  Nukahiva  consul  for  an  affi- 
davit and  I  don't  know  what  else.  Anyway,  it  was 
evidently  going  to  be  a  long  time  before  I  got  any- 
thing, and  as  I  didn't  want  to  go  to  sea  and  get 


WHAT    MANNER    OF    MAN  181 

stranded  somewhere  when  the  case  came  to  trial,  I 
hung  around  home,  coasting  a  little,  and  finally  I 
decided  that  I'd  had  enough  whaling.  I  passed  my 
examination  for  a  mate's  berth  easy  enough  and  got 
a  chance  in  a  fine  big  schooner  in  the  West  Indian 
trade.  They  were  short  voyages  and  I  could  keep 
an  eye  on  my  lawsuit  between  times.  It  didn't 
progress  very  fast,  and  though  I  was  offered  the 
chief  mate's  berth  I  gave  it  up. 

"  I  thought  that  my  kind  of  sailoring  was  getting 
too  slow  and  I  wanted  to  get  into  the  steam  traffic. 
The  only  way  was  to  begin  pretty  near  the  bottom, 
and  I  did,  in  the  fire-room  of  a  Plant  liner,  between 
New  York  and  Havana.  I  worked  up  pretty  well 
to  the  engine-room  and  had  some  thoughts  that  I'd 
like  that  line  of  work.  But  my  case  was  coming  off 
pretty  soon  then,  so  I  stayed  ashore  for  the  winter 
and  got  a  job  in  a  machine  shop  and  foundry.  I 
won  the  case  right  enough  and  the  Old  Man  had  to 
settle,  but  the  lawyer  I  had  hired  saw  to  it  that  I 
didn't  suffer  any  from  sudden  prosperity,  and  when 
it  was  all  over  I  had  just  seventy-two  dollars  and 
sixteen  cents  coming  to  me,  and  my  lay  had 
amounted  to  over  three  hundred  dollars. 

"  That  sort  of  sickened  me  of  the  land-sharks, 
and  I  went  to  sea  again,  as  third  mate  of  a  British 
tramp  that  was  hard  up  in  Boston.  I  left  her  in 
Liverpool,  and  went  to  Australia  in  another  cargo 


182   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

boat,  as  second  mate,  and  got  my  first  mate's  ticket 
at  the  end  of  the  voyage.  After  that  I  went  in  sev- 
eral ships,  everywhere,  most,  where  there  is  a  port 
and  trading  to  be  done;  the  Mediterranean,  Suez, 
Bombay,  Calcutta,  Singapore,  Hong  Kong  and 
Shanghai,  the  Malay  Islands,  Manila,  Japan,  all 
around  the  world  and  back  again.  I  got  tired,  then, 
of  the  cargo  boats  and  when  I  got  my  master's 
certificate  I  tried  for  a  passenger  berth,  but  there 
■was  no  chance,  and  the  only  way  for  me  to  get  on 
"wias  to  drop  back  and  take  a  fresh  start;  so  I  got 
in  with  the  South  Pacific  people  at  San  Francisco 
and  made  three  trips  in  the  Marquesas  before  she 
went  to  the  bottom  out  there  and  marooned  you  and 
me  and  the  Frenchman  here  *  with  a  shifty  trick 
unkind,'  "  he  quoted  as  he  finished. 

For  a  little  time  the  girl  sat  silent.  It  was  a  com- 
monplace enough  story,  but  he  told  it  well,  not  laud- 
ing himself  in  any  way,  slurring  quickly  over  the 
many  adventures  he  must  have  had,  making  a  cate- 
gory of  his  life,  straightforward  and  simple. 

"  I  should  call  that  a  story  of  success,"  said  the 
girl  finally.  "  I  should  think  you  had  done  well.  In 
all  that  rough  life  you  must  have  learned  a  great 
deal  of  men,  and  of  the  world  and  its  ways.  You 
talk,  too,  like  a  man  who  has  thought  and  read.  You 
have,  haven't  you?  Why,  you  quoted  Kipling  just 
now." 


WHAT    MANNER   OF   MAN  183 

She  stopped  in  surprise  as  she  placed  the  words 
that  had  ended  his  tale. 

"  Yes,"  he  laughed,  "  I  could  recite  the  whole 
rhyme.     It's  one  of  the  things  that  stick,  isn't  it?" 

"  And,"  pursued  Eleanor,  "  you  don't  talk  a  bit 
like  the  sailors  in  books." 

He  laughed  again. 

"  You  mean  that  I  don't  say  *  shiver  my  timbers  * 
and  *  belay  there  ?  '  Well,  I  could,  and  when  I'm 
with  men  of  my  craft  I  suppose  I  use  as  much  sea 
lingo  as  the  next,  but  since  I've  worn  buttons  and  a 
brass-bound  cap  I've  tried  to  drop  the  tramp  slang 
and  the  whalers'  talk  and  speak  as  much  like  my 
passengers  as  I  can.  The  day  of  the  old  salt  with 
his  forelock  and  his  bow  and  scrape  is  over;  along 
with  the  Old  Three-Decker,  he's  off  for  the  Islands 
of  the  Blest  and  the  day  of  the  new  romance  has 
come.  I  don't  always  want  to  be  a  second  officer 
and  if  the  Marquesas  had  made  San  Francisco  on 
her  last  trip  I  was  going  out  first  on  the  next." 

"  And  now?  "  queried  the  girl. 

"  Now,  I'm  a  sort  of  twentieth-century  reprint 
of  a  much  read  work  by  a  Mr.  Defoe  with  a  Lady 
Friday  and  a  lot  of  work  on  hand  that  is  suffering 
to  be  done,"  he  stated,  as  he  rose  quickly  and  looked 
out  at  the  hurtling  rain. 

His  movement  told  her  that  their  conversation 
for  the  time  was  over  and  she  rose  and  joined  him  as 


184   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

he  stood  under  the  dripping  eaves  of  tlie  veran- 
dah. 

Towards  night  the  rain  ceased  and  the  stars  came 
out  in  the  clean-washed  sky,  and  with  them  in  the 
west  was  the  silver  crescent  of  a  young  moon,  that 
sailed  awhile  in  the  azure  heavens  and  then  dipped 
her  modest  daintiness  below  the  waves. 


CHAPTER    XII 

THE  RAISING   OF   THE   DINGHY 

With  renewed  vigour  Starbuck  set  to  work  in 
earnest  on  the  dugout.  With  his  axe  he  was  able 
to  shape  the  bow  and  stern,  so  that  at  last  the  log 
began  to  look  more  like  a  craft.  The  hollowing 
out  was  slow,  hard  work  at  best  but  by  constant 
labour  both  with  fire  and  tools,  using  his  axe  as  an 
adze,  the  tool  being  easily  made  to  serve  by  a  simple 
change  of  handle,  the  interior  was  gradually  en- 
larged until  the  sides  were  less  than  two  inches  in 
thickness.  The  boat  being  perfectly  round  on  the 
bottom,  and  probably  so  irregular  that  it  could  not 
by  any  possibility  trim  itself,  Starbuck  used  the 
natural  expedient  of  the  island  people  in  the  form 
of  an  outrigger,  which  was  a  sharpened  log  of 
buoyant  wood,  shorter  than  the  canoe  and  lashed 
with  sennit  to  spars  which  crossed  from  gunwale 
to  gunwale  and  projected  several  feet  to  one  side. 
While  unnecessary  from  a  native  point  of  view, 
Starbuck  was  a  good  enough  sailor  to  be  dissatisfied 
with  anything  but  a  shipshape  craft,  and  desired 
to  mortise  his  spars  into  his  outrigger.    To  do  this 

185 


186   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

he  needed  a  chisel  and  at  once  set  about  making 
one  of  a  part  of  the  steel  left  from  the  forging  of 
the  axe. 

He  also  felt  strongly  the  need  of  better  forge  fuel 
than  the  dry  wood  and  foresaw  that  with  the  con- 
tinuing rains  even  this  would  become  unfit  for  use. 
To  this  end  he  constructed,  with  little  trouble,  a 
charcoal  pit  and  in  a  few  days  had  an  excellent 
supply. 

Another  article  of  civilization  that  both  the  girl 
and  he  had  sorely  missed  was  soap,  and  Starbuck, 
familiar  with  the  process  he  had  seen  so  many  times 
in  his  boyhood  days,  bethought  him  of  the  means  to 
supply  this  insistent  demand.  Although  a  make- 
shift composed  of  cocoanut  oil  and  a  simple  lye  of 
wood  ashes  could  be  easily  supplied,  he  knew  that 
this  was  only  fit  for  use  with  salt  water,  and  as 
neither  cared  to  use  the  sea  for  toilet  purposes  he 
cast  about  him  for  the  materials  with  which  to  make 
something  better.  The  agreeable  odour  of  the 
candle  nuts  attracted  him,  and  by  experimenting  he 
soon  found  that  by  means  of  pressure  he  could  ob- 
tain the  supply  of  oil  he  needed.  Caustic  potash 
was  a  harder  problem,  slaked  lime  being  needed  in 
its  making.  For  a  time  this  puzzled  him,  but  sud- 
denly he  remembered  that  the  shells  and  corals  all 
about  them  must  hold  a  high  percentage  of  calcium 
and  that  it  would  only  be  necessary  to  carbonate  this 


THE   RAISING  OF   THE   DINGHY     187 

by  burning.  His  furnace,  minus  the  forcing  draft, 
would  answer  the  purpose  of  a  kiln  and  forthwith 
he  filled  it  with  sea  shells  and  broken  coral  rock  in 
layers,  with  dry  wood  and  charcoal  between  and  set 
the  pile  alight.  The  result  was  imperfect,  perhaps, 
so  far  as  purity  was  concerned,  but  the  lime  slaked 
well  and,  for  his  purposes,  was  as  good  as  the  civil- 
ized product.  Its  future  usefulness  for  mortar  also 
occurred  to  him,  but  as  he  had  no  place  for  storing 
he  contented  himself  with  one  burning. 

The  girl  found  kiln  tending  somewhat  arduous 
work  but  it  was  a  new  occupation  and  a  welcome 
relief  from  idleness,  as  the  sennit  rope  she  had  made 
was  now  sufficient.  While  the  kilns  were  kept  burn- 
ing Starbuck  managed  some  pots  and  bowls  of  clay, 
which,  as  soon  as  the  furnace  was  free  of  lime,  he 
baked  and  even  glazed  by  the  aid  of  a  charcoal  fire 
and  his  bellows  blast.  He  had  not  yet  told  the  girl 
the  significance  of  all  these  activities,  for  he  thought 
failure  quite  possible  and  feared  to  disappoint  her. 
During  the  pressing  of  the  nuts,  which  she  helped  to 
gather,  she  questioned  him  more  than  once,  but  he 
put  her  off  with  laughing  replies  and  conditional 
promises  of  a  surprise  in  store. 

Simple  potash,  or  the  carbonate,  was  now  ob- 
tained by  evaporating  a  solution  of  wood  ashes, 
leached  with  water,  and  burning  the  residue  to 
eliminate  the  charcoal.    This  was  in  turn  made  into 


188   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

a  solution  with  about  twelve  parts  of  water  as  nearly 
as  he  could  judge,  and  set  on  to  boil  in  a  shallow 
basin.  The  quicklime,  slaked  to  a  paste,  was  added 
slowly  until  with  the  acid  of  fermented  palm  sap  no 
effervescence  occurred.  The  solution  was  allowed 
to  settle,  the  clear  liquor  drawn  off  and  boiled  to 
concentration. 

"  Chemistry,"  said  the  girl,  as  she  followed  the 
various  steps  of  this  work,  "  is  something  I  never 
could  grasp.  It  seemed  to  me  just  a  senseless 
jumble  of  capital  letters  and  little  numerals,  far 
worse  than  the  string  of  letters  after  an  English 
scholar's  name,  but  you  seem  to  have  been  able  to 
make  it  work  for  you,  and  without  the  capitals." 

"  But,"  he  replied,  "  this  isn't  chemistry,  it's 
soap." 

"  Oh,"  she  cried,  "  you've  let  the  cat  out  of  the 
bag.  But  I'm  so  delighted!  Think  of  being  able 
to  vrash  one's  clothes  again !  " 

"  Again  ?  "  he  queried,  with  a  lifted  eyebrow. 

She  laughed. 

"  I'm  afraid,"  she  said,  "  this  is  a  case  where  the 
shame  lies  in  a  plea  of  innocence.  But,"  she  added, 
with  a  glance  at  her  soiled  raiment,  "  I  could  do  any- 
thing to  be  clean  again,  though  I  never  expected  to 
be  obliged  to  make  my  own  soap." 

With  one  of  the  larger  bowls  full  of  candle  nut 
oil,  Starbuck  brought  it  slowly  to  a  boiling  tempera- 


THE   RAISING  OF   THE   DINGHY     189 

ture  and  added  a  weak  solution  of  his  caustic  potash, 
stirring  constantly.  Gradually  the  strength  of  the 
lye  was  increased  and  the  mixture  lost  its  milky 
appearance  and  became  clear.  More  lye  was  added 
until  the  taste  was  distinctly  alkaline,  and  Starbuck 
announced  that  the  liquor  was  ready  for  "  salting 
out."  A  strong  brine  of  boiled  sea-water  served 
the  purpose,  and  as  it  entered  the  solution  the  soapy 
matter  could  be  seen  collecting  on  top  while  the 
spent  lye  was  precipitated.  Skimming  while  hot  and 
pouring  into  halves  of  cocoanut  shells  to  set,  com- 
pleted the  work,  and  the  castaways  found  them- 
selves the  possessors  of  a  number  of  cakes  of  ex- 
cellent soap,  fragrant  and  agreeable  with  the  odour 
of  the  oil.  With  the  rough  pottery  basins  for  tubs, 
wash  day  now  could  be  regularly  observed,  adding 
much  to  the  comfort  and  self-respect  of  both. 

The  weather,  much  to  Starbuck's  surprise,  held 
fine,  facilitating  greatly  the  completion  of  the  canoe, 
which,  in  less  than  a  week,  was  finished  and  ready 
for  launching.  With  his  axe  and  a  knife  he  turned 
out  some  very  creditable  paddles,  one  of  them  small 
and  light  enough  for  the  girl  to  use.  Under  log 
rollers  the  craft  was  run  down  to  the  water's  edge 
and  Starbuck  was  about  to  send  it  on  its  first  dip  into 
the  Pacific  when  he  halted  as  if  something  had  been 
forgotten. 

"  We  can't  let  this  ship  go  overboard  without  a 


190   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

name,  even  if  we  haven't  any  champagne  to  break 
over  her  bow.  You  must  name  her,"  he  said, 
smiling  at  the  girl,  "  and  as  the  owner  I  choose  the 
name.  She  shall  be  the  Eleanor,  and  good  luck  to 
her." 

So  they  launched  and  christened  their  craft,  built 
•with  such  pains  and  labour,  and  on  that  quiet  after- 
noon in  early  April  they  paddled  on  their  first  voy- 
age. 

Naturally,  Starbuck  first  made  a  visit  to  the  reef 
where  the  ship's  dinghy  lay  inside  the  great  coral 
barrier.  As  they  paddled  out  from  the  shore  the 
water  gradually  deepened,  thoug'h  the  bottom  could 
still  be  seen  distinctly,  each  shell  and  almost  each 
grain  of  sand  showing  clear-cut  beneath  the  still 
surface.  The  wonderful  colours,  which  had  not 
been  visible  from  the  shore,  made  the  girl  cry  out  in 
delight  as  they  passed  over  beds  of  deep  purple, 
shaded  into  violet,  yellow  and  blue,  with  patches  of 
red  and  orange,  brilliant  and  glowing.  Fish  darted 
here  and  there,  and  Starbuck  now  and  then  pointed 
with  his  paddle  at  a  huge  albicore  or  a  bonito, 
startled  by  their  approach.  He  kept  a  sharp  look- 
out for  the  sinister,  black,  triangular  fin  of  a  shark 
above  the  water,  but  none  disturbed  the  repose  of 
the  peaceful  lagoon,  which  seemed  to  smile  a  wel- 
come to  them. 

Turning  to  look  at  the  shore  the  girl  saw  for  the 


THE   RAISING   OF   THE   DINGHY     191 

first  time  since  she  had  christened  the  island,  the 
red  and  yellow  blanket-flag,  that  together  they  had 
hoisted  on  the  peak.  It  was  still  there,  floating  out 
bravely  in  the  breeze  that  fanned  the  summit,  still 
calling  its  silent  message  to  the  broad  Pacific.  The 
island  itself,  with  its  white  fringe  of  beach  backed 
by  the  waving,  feathery  cocoa-palms,  with  the  land 
rising  in  a  terrace  of  greenery,  looked  like  a  picture 
of  fairyland.  Beauty  in  some  form  lay  on  every 
hand  and  the  girl  fell  into  a  dreamy  reverie  under 
its  spell. 

She  was  sharply  recalled  by  an  exclamation  from 
Starbuck,  who  now,  with  a  few  swift  strokes  of  his 
paddle,  made  the  canoe  forge  ahead.  He  pointed 
downward  with  the  blade,  and  there  on  the  bottom 
was  the  thing  they  sought,  the  boat.  It  lay  on  its 
side,  with  the  sand  sifted  over  the  gunwale  into  the 
bottom,  covering  up  any  injury  that  may  have  been 
sustained  by  striking  the  sharp  coral  of  the  reef.  In 
the  limpid  water  it  seemed  as  if  they  could  touch  it 
with  the  paddle,  but  Starbuck  knew  it  must  be  at 
least  ten  fathoms  below.  He  carefully  studied  the 
boat's  position  in  relation  to  the  black  wall  of  the 
reef,  which,  only  a  few  yards  beyond,  formed  a  solid 
barrier  that  even  caused  the  mighty  Pacific  in  its 
wildest  moods  to  halt  and  turn  back.  And  the  girl 
remembered,  as  she  gazed,  her  youthful  geography, 
which  taught  her  that  these  reefs  were  made  by  a 


192   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

myriad  of  tiny  polyps,  who  had  lived  and  died  in 
countless  generations  to  build  that  Titan's  wall. 
The  crest  of  the  reef  was  now  just  awash,  and  the 
surf,  with  the  wind  hauled  to  the  southwest,  was 
absent. 

Starbuck  drew  a  thin,  braided  line  from  his 
pocket,  and  with  a  stone  for  a  weight,  sounded  the 
bottom,  measuring  oflF  the  depth  with  the  spread  of 
his  arms.  Nine  fathoms  he  counted  before  the  line 
grew  slack,  and  he  wondered  how  long  he  could 
stand  the  pressure  of  nearly  two  atmospheres.  He 
had  seen  the  native  pearl  divers  make  nothing  of 
such  a  depth,  but  as  for  himself  he  had  his  doubts. 
But  he  said  nothing  of  them  nor  of  his  plan  for 
raising  the  boat,  and  they  quietly  continued  their 
voyage  along  the  northerly  shore  of  the  island  until 
the  freshening  wind  warned  them  not  to  make  the 
complete  circle  in  an  unaccustomed  craft. 

Starbuck  had  brought  a  wooden  hook  he  had 
contrived  from  a  root,  and  with  this  and  his  line 
they  spent  an  hour  fishing,  taking  several  small 
bonitos,  which  the  man  knew  to  be  excellent  eating. 
As  they  paddled  back,  their  craft,  rough  and  clumsy 
though  it  was,  seemed  to  have  opened  to  them  an 
entire  new  world  and  they  felt  rich  in  its  possession. 

As  the  southwest  monsoon  had  not  become 
settled,  Starbuck  did  not  yet  wish  to  attempt  to 
carry  out  his  idea  of  getting  up  the  dinghy,  which 


THE   RAISING  OF  THE   DINGHY     193 

would  involve  much  work  on  the  reef  itself,  so  he 
contented  himself  with  his  preparations.  He  now- 
needed  a  saw  very  badly,  but  was  in  complete  de- 
spair of  obtaining  the  article,  until,  as  he  was  over- 
hauling the  sail  preparatory  to  rigging  the  canoe, 
he  stumbled  across,  the  water  breaker,  for  which 
they  had  found  no  immediate  use.  The  iron  hoops 
that  strongly  bound  the  keg  were,  it  flashed  across 
him,  the  supply  of  metal  he  so  much  needed. 

Joyful  at  his  discovery  and  blaming  himself  for 
his  stupidity,  he  set  to  work  to  repeat  his  process  of 
steel  making,  and  profiting  by  his  previous  attempt, 
succeeded  in  turning  out  a  very  creditable  product. 
Beaten  thin  with  the  back  of  his  steel  axe,  and  the 
teeth  stamped  out  laboriously  with  a  three-cornered 
die  of  chilled  metal,  the  result  was  a  saw,  at  which 
a  carpenter  might  have  smiled,  but  which  would 
cut  wood  if  the  user  were  patient.  With  his  axe 
and  saw  and  chisel  Starbuck  now  was  able  to  make 
a  set  of  serviceable  blocks,  both  double  and  single, 
the  sheaves  being  sections  of  young  cocoanut  trunks, 
bored  for  their  pins  by  burning. 

The  problem  of  sufficient  rope  for  this  tackle  now 
presented  itself,  and  the  sailor  set  about  solving  it 
with  a  seaman's  readiness.  The  husks  stripped 
from  many  nuts  had  been  decaying  in  the  stream 
bed,  and  furnished  a  mass  of  loose  fibre  ready  for 
his  purpose.     With  a  spun  yarn  winch,  constructed 


194   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

of  bamboo,  and  the  girl  to  twirl  the  shaft,  he  spun 
the  long  strands,  which,  twisted  in  an  improvised  " 
rope-walk  between  two  tree  trunks,  and  hawser  laid, 
gave  him  all  the  cordage  needed  and  of  a  kind  that 
was  perfectly  strong  and  serviceable. 

The  work  was  interrupted  once  or  twice  by  vio- 
lent storms,  which  swept  the  island  with  a  deluge 
of  rain  and  drove  both  man  and  girl  to  shelter  for 
a  day  at  a  time.  Coming  from  the  southwest,  the 
wind  drove  the  water  roaring  through  the  break  in 
the  reef,  lowering  the  height  of  the  lagoon  appre- 
ciably, and  Starbuck  was  concerned  lest  the  scour 
carry  the  sunken  boat  beyond  the  protection  of  the 
reef,  where  it  might  be  lost  to  him  for  ever.  But  an  ♦ 
investigation,  as  soon  as  the  weather  had  moderated, 
showed  him  that  the  craft  still  lay  as  it  had  been, 
though  more  nearly  buried  in  the  shifting  sands. 
While  the  man  had  been  engaged  in  the  preparations 
for  his  wrecking  operations  the  girl  had  not  been 
idle.  The  need  of  clothes  was  now  becoming  so 
urgent  that  steps  had  to  be  taken  to  refurnish  both 
their  wardrobes.  Every  trip  to  the  interior  of  the 
island  resulted  in  some  new  rent,  and  the  one  needle 
they  possessed  was  in  constant  demand  until  the 
clothes  they  wore  were  so  full  of  mends  that  the 
remaining  cloth  would  hardly  hold  together.  The 
shrinkage  caused  by  this  constant  patching,  unaided 
by  new  material,  was  alarming,  and  it  was  evident 


THE   RAISING  OF  THE   DINGHZ    195 

that  a  new  supply  of  cloth  was  one  of  the  first  con- 
siderations. 

The  hibiscus  bark,  that  had  been  alternately 
soaked  in  the  brook  and  exposed  to  the  air,  was 
now,  they  found,  in  a  state  of  decomposition  which 
Starbuck  pronounced  far  enough  advanced  to  free 
the  fibres,  and  he  showed  her  how,  with  a  billet  of 
wood  about  a  foot  long  and  two  inches  square, 
creased  In  grooves  of  varying  depth  upon  the  four 
sides,  to  beat  the  strips  of  bark,  which  were  placed 
on  the  smooth  trunk  of  a  fallen  cocoa  palm,  adding 
new  strips  and  moistening  the  mass  with  water  as 
needed.  The  result  of  continued  effort,  more 
monotonous  than  difficult,  was  a  cloth  of  fair  qual- 
ity, that  could  be  made  in  varying  thickness  as  de- 
sired by  beating  out  as  a  gold-beater  finishes  his 
sheets  of  metal.  Finally,  bleached  in  the  tropical 
heat  of  the  sun,  a  fabric  of  dazzling  whiteness  was 
ample  reward,  and  her  pride  at  her  usefulness  was 
not  lessened  by  the  praise  of  the  man. 

Starbuck  had  made  a  pair  of  sheers  of  two  young 
trees,  about  fifteen  feet  in  length,  lashed  at  the 
crossing  with  stout  sennit  and  braced  at  the  bottom 
with  spreader,  making  a  rigid  letter  A,  to  the  apex 
of  which  was  attached  a  set  of  double  blocks.  He 
tested  the  tackle's  lifting  power  and  found  it  to  be 
apparently  ample. 

On  a  bright  morning,  with  the  wind  apparently 


196   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

settled  in  the  southwest,  with  rigging  ready  and 
the  sheers  towing  behind,  the  man  and  girl  set  out 
to  begin  operations  on  the  reef.  In  the  lee  of  the 
island  the  water  was  calm.  The  top  of  the  great 
coral  shelf  was  just  exposed  and  they  could  see  the 
half-buried  dinghy  below,  lying  like  a  dead  thing 
on  the  bottom.  The  girl  was  aware  of  Starbuck's 
hopes  from  the  possession  of  his  craft,  but  she  did 
not  share  his  enthusiasm.  Her  former  experi- 
ence in  this  same  boat  was  still  vivid  in  her  memory, 
and  deep  in  her  heart  she  preferred  to  remain  in 
comparative  comfort  on  the  island,  to  tempting 
fortune  again  on  the  bosom  of  the  Pacific  —  the 
Pacific,  which  now,  lying  idly  kissed  by  the  warm 
sun,  seemed  all  mildness  and  smiles,  but  which  she 
had  seen  in  one  short  hour  transform  itself  into  a 
frothing  whirl  of  angry  tumult,  gray,  hissing  and 
venomous,  destroying  all  that  fell  within  its  em- 
brace, shouting  aloud  its  eternal  treachery. 

However,  she  said  nothing  of  her  thoughts  to 
Starbuck,  whose  mind  she  knew  was  firmly  set  upon 
accomplishing  his  purpose.  She  watched  his  prepa- 
rations interestedly.  He  was  in  his  element  as  a 
wrecker  and  went  about  his  work  with  a  certain 
definiteness  that  had  not  marked  him  in  his  activi- 
ties ashore. 

First  of  all  he  set  up  his  sheers  on  the  edge  of 
the  reef.    To  do  this  was  no  small  task.    The  green 


THE   RAISING  OP  THE   DINGHY     197 

wood  was  heavy,  and  powerful  man  as  he  was,  his 
strength  was  not  sufficient  to  place  the  poles  up- 
right. Paddling  ashore  they  brought  back  two 
large  stones,  which  Starbuck  proceeded  to  lash  to 
the  butts  of  the  poles  with  a  hitch  that  could  be 
loosened  with  a  single  jerk  of  a  rope's  end.  The 
sheers  now  up-ended  with  the  butts  in  the  water, 
and  the  weights  ballasting  them,  the  structure  rode 
upright  like  a  buoy  beside  the  reef. 

Measuring  the  distance  carefully,  he  bent  a  rope 
at  the  crossing  of  the  sheers,  leading  it  back  to  con- 
nect with  a  gun-tackle  purchase,  which  was  an- 
chored securely  to  a  projection  of  the  reef  itself. 
Two  guy  lines  were  also  bent  in  readiness  to  hold 
the  sheers  in  position.  A  stout  spar,  the  length  of 
the  sheers,  he  now  set  into  the  throat  lashing,  the 
butt  to  be  planted  on  the  reef  at  the  instant  the 
sheers  stopp>ed  rising,  to  act  as  a  stay  against  the 
pull  of  the  guys  and  to  stop  the  dead  weight  from 
falling  back.  When  all  was  ready  a  sharp  pull  re- 
leased the  ballasting  rocks  and  the  lightened  struc- 
ture shot  up  perpendicularly,  to  be  caught  and  held 
by  the  spar  as  he  had  foreseen.  The  sailor  now  had 
small  difficulty  in  levering  the  legs,  one  after  the 
other,  upon  the  reef's  edge,  and  at  last  the  sheers 
stood  in  position,  the  tackle  hanging  out  over  the 
water  directly  above  the  sunken  dinghy. 

Eleanor,  who  was  unable  to  assist  in  this  work, 


198   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

had  remained  in  the  canoe,  but  now  she  was  called 
upon  for  aid.  Starbuck  slipped  off  his  shoes  and 
made  ready  a  rope  with  a  heavy  stone  for  a  sinker, 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  now  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Well,"  he  answered,  "  I  don't  know  whether 
I'm  man  enough  or  not,  but  I'm  going  down  there, 
if  I  can,  and  hook  on  this  tackle." 

She  looked  at  him  as  he  stood  on  the  reef,  brown 
of  face  and  arm  and  neck,  strong,  buoyant,  with  a 
boyish  smile  on  his  lips  and  a  light  of  daredeviltry  in 
his  blue  eyes.  For  an  instant  she  com'^ared  him 
with  the  men  that  she  had  known;  with  the  man 
she  had  promised  to  marry.  Would  any  of  them, 
she  wondered,  do  for  her  sake  what  this  man  was 
doing?  Could  any  of  them  do  what  he  was  doing, 
or,  lacking  knowledge,  would  they  have  been  the 
men  to  try  makeshift  expedients,  the  products  of 
their  own  imaginations,  in  an  attempt  to  overcome 
seemingly  impossible  obstacles?  Running  rapidly 
through  her  list  of  friends,  she  could  think  of  none 
who  possessed  the  unselfishness  or  the  offhand  cour- 
age of  this  man,  who,  a  few  weeks  before  had  been 
an  utter  stranger  to  her. 

The  thought,  now,  of  his  going  down  into  that 
deep,  blue  water  terrified  her.  If  he  should  be 
drowned  through  some  mishap;  if  he  should  die 
before  her  eyes  and  she  should  never  be  able  to 
speak  to  him  again!    It  was  not  a  selfish  thought 


THE   RAISING   OF   THE   DINGHY     199 

that  flashed  through  her  mind,  but  the  personal 
appeal  of  his  own  self  as  a  friend  and  as  a  loyal 
companion,  who  stood  ready  to  sacrifice  his  life  for 
her  if  need  be,  and  who,  under  her  helpless  trust  in 
him,  had  already  more  than  once  proved  the  steel 
of  his  honour. 

"  Are  you  sure  you  will  be  safe?  "  she  anxiously 
asked,  as  he  stepped  into  the  canoe  beside  her.  "  If 
anything  should  happen  —  " 

"  Nothing  will  happen,"  he  said.  "  The  worst 
will  be  that  I  may  fail  to  reach  bottom." 

He  slipped  the  great  stone  over  the  side  and  tested 
the  rope  that  held  it  hanging  in  the  water.  He 
took  a  turn  with  the  line  around  one  of  the  out- 
rigger spars  and  handed  it  to  her. 

"  Now,"  he  said,  "  I  am  going  down  feet  first 
standing  on  the  weight  and  you  must  pay  out 
quickly,  for  I  can't  be  long.  The  water  is  pretty 
deep  and  the  pressure  will  be  hard  to  stand." 

As  he  spoke  he  took  in  his  hands  the  tackle  block, 
to  the  lower  end  of  which  was  attached  a  small, 
stiff  billet  of  wood  to  be  thrust  as  a  toggle  through 
the  ring  bolt  at  the  stern  of  the  dinghy.  He  drew 
out  his  knife,  which  he  placed  between  his  teeth, 
and  grasping  the  rope  with  one  hand  and  the  block 
with  the  other,  swung  over  the  side. 

Down,  down  he  went  in  the  perfectly  clear,  still 
water,  his  foreshortened  body  showing  squat  and 


200   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

strange  in  its  outline.  Quickly  she  paid  out  the 
line  as  he  descended,  but  after  a  moment  it  went 
more  slowly,  as  the  greater  depth  of  water  was 
reached.  Then  it  stopped  altogether  and  in  surprise 
she  saw  him  rushing  up  toward  her.  Faster  and 
faster  the  figure  came,  kicking  its  way  to  the  sur- 
face, the  head  and  shoulders  popping  out  suddenly. 
The  man's  breath  released  with  a  puff,  and  clinging 
to  the  side  of  the  canoe  before  climbing  in,  he 
panted  a  moment,  shaking  his  ringing  ears  and 
filling  his  poisoned  lungs  in  great  gasps. 

"  I've  got  to  get  my  breath  better,"  he  said,  as 
he  drew  up  his  dripping  body  and  sat  on  the  spar. 
"  It's  kind  of  close  down  there." 

"  Are  you  going  to  try  again  ?  "  asked  the  girl, 
as  he  began  hauling  at  the  line. 

"  I  think  I  can  make  it  next  time,"  he  replied. 
**  Let  the  line  run  pretty  free.  It  will  snub  itself 
before  it  gets  to  the  bottom.  I  wish  the  weight  was 
heavier." 

Now  he  took  several  great  breaths,  filling  up  and 
emptying  his  chest,  purifying  each  cell  to  receive 
its  utmost  supply  of  life-giving  oxygen.  At  last 
he  slipped  into  the  water  again,  and  taking  a  long, 
natural  breath,  signalled  her  to  let  him  go.  Down 
he  went,  faster  this  time,  until  it  seemed  as  if  he 
■would  never  stop.  She  watched  him.  He  was 
nearly  at  the  bottom,  she  thought,  but  no,  the  line 


THE   RAISING   OF   THE   DINGHY     201 

was  still  running.  Now  it  stopped.  She  saw  him 
fumble  with  the  toggle,  and,  after  what  seemed  an 
age,  finally  pass  it  through  the  ring. 

He  straightened,  crouched  on  the  bottom  and 
sprang  upward.  At  the  instant  a  shadow  fell  across 
his  body.  There  was  a  swirl  of  a  swiftly  passing 
shape,  and  frozen  with  terror,  she  saw  the  great 
flukes  of  a  tiger  shark.  She  tried  to  scream  but 
her  voice  had  lost  its  power.  She  could  only  watch, 
helpless,  powerless  to  warn  him.  But  he  had  no- 
ticed. He  was  swimming  desperately  toward  the 
top  when  the  shape  turned,  and  darting  close,  al- 
most flicked  him  with  its  tail,  the  mass  of  disturbed 
water  twisting  his  body  half  round  and  almost 
stopping  his  ascent.  She  saw  him  seize  the  knife 
from  between  his  teeth.  Half  way  to  the  surface 
the  great  fish  swooped  again,  and  to  her  utter  hor- 
ror she  saw  the  White  of  its  upturned  belly  and  the 
rows  of  cruel  teeth  in  the  wide  open  gap  of  its  jaws. 

Aiming  straight  for  the  man's  body  it  came  swift 
as  a  dart,  its  tail  almost  motionless,  its  instincts 
concentrated  on  its  prey.  Starbuck  turned,  doub- 
ling his  body  downward.  An  arm  shot  up  and  she 
caught  the  flash  of  steel.  The  next  instant  the 
great  fish  was  gone,  and  the  man,  face  purple,  with 
blue  lips  and  starting  eyeballs,  shot  up  out  of  the 
sea. 

Almost  exhausted,  he  climbed  into  the  canoe  and 


202   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

lay  in  the  bottom,  his  head  in  the  girl's  lap  where 
she  had  raised  it,  he  fighting  for  air,  she  sobbing 
in  her  fright  and  crying  out  her  thankfulness  at  his 
escape.  For  a  few  moments  Starbuck  did  not  move. 
A  weakness  seized  him  and  he  lay  as  one  in  a  swoon 
until  his  blood  quickened  as  the  heart  beat  stronger. 
Slowly  he  sat  up  and  looked  about.  His  shirt  of 
shreds  was  torn  and  split  and  hung  about  his  waist, 
exposing  his  heaving  chest  with  its  great  rounded 
muscles. 

"  That  was  as  close  to  it  as  I've  ever  been,"  he 
said,  without  a  smile,  "  but  it's  all  right.  I've  done 
the  trick." 

"  You  were  frightened,"  he  said  presently,  lean- 
ing over  and  laying  a  wet  hand  on  the  girl's  arm. 
"  I  don't  wonder.  I  was  myself,"  and  he  turned 
sharply  in  the  direction  of  a  splash  in  the  water. 
"  Look  there,"  he  cried,  touching  the  girl  again. 
"  There  he  is,  and  in  his  flurry.  See  my  knife, 
sticking  in  his  side !  " 

But  the  girl  covered  her  face  with  Her  hands  and 
would  not  look. 

**  It  was  horrible,  horrible !  "  she  sobbed.  '*  I 
thought  —    Oh,  those  awful  teeth !  " 

"  There,  there,"  he  said  in  a  clumsy  effort  at 
helping  her  to  regain  herself.  "  It's  all  over  now 
and  I  shall  save  my  knife  too.  See!  He  is  dead, 
already." 


i 


THE   RAISING   OF   THE   DINGHY     203 

Casting  off  the  line  that  held  the  canoe  to  the 
reef,  he  paddled  to  the  body  of  the  shark,  and  taking" 
a  turn  around  the  tail,  worked  the  craft  ashore, 
Eleanor  sitting  rigid  in  her  place,  striving  to  con- 
trol herself. 

With  an  eye  on  the  weather,  Starbuck  anxiously 
watched  her,  wondering  if  it  was  better  to  go  on 
with  his  salving  of  the  boat  or  whether  he  might 
risk  the  interference  of  a  storm,  and  the  possible  un- 
doing of  his  work.  He  decided  that  he  could  not, 
and  after  drawing  up  the  great  fish  on  the  beach, 
he  turned  to  go  again  to  the  reef.  But  she  sprang 
before  him,  white,  trembling  from  head  to  foot,  but 
refusing  to  let  him  go  alone,  and  though  he  could 
see  that  she  was  shaken  by  nearly  overmastering 
terror,  he  did  not  change  his  purpose.  He  ex- 
plained that  if  the  wind  should  rise  it  might  all 
have  to  be  done  again ;  and  then,  with  fine  courage, 
she  took  her  place  in  the  canoe,  saying  that  if  he 
must  go  she  would  accompany  him.  He  marvelled 
at  the  strength  of  this  delicate  woman,  the  strength 
that  was  able  to  overcome  deadly  fear  and  send 
her  to  share  with  him  whatever  peril  lay  in 
store. 

Pushing  out  quickly  to  the  reef,  he  made  sure 
that  his  tackle  was  fast  and  stepped  out  on  the  shelf, 
now  ankle  deep  with  the  risen  tide,  and  grasping 
the  fall,  put  his  weight  upon  it.     The  give  of  the 


204   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

new  rope  at  first  prevented  the  breaking  out  of  the 
boat  from  the  sand-bed,  but  after  much  effort  the 
purchase  of  the  double  blocks  began  to  tell,  and 
swaying  with  a  turn  around  the  brace,  he  gained 
a  few  inches  at  each  heave.  Finally  the  dead  weight 
tore  itself  free,  turned  over,  as  he  had  planned, 
and  emptying  out  the  load  of  sand,  rose  slowly 
through  the  water.  Up  it  came,  till  the  white 
painted  stern  showed  above  the  surface  and  the 
fall  was  made  fast. 

While  the  purchase  of  Starbuck's  tackle  was  suf- 
ficient to  raise  the  boat  through  the  water,  it  was 
not  powerful  enough  to  continue  its  work  with  the 
weight  above  the  surface.  This  he  had  foreseen, 
and  turning  to  his  gun-tackle,  he  hove  on  it,  bring- 
ing the  sheers  themselves  to  a  perpendicular,  with 
the  effect  of  dragging  the  dinghy  over  the  edge  of 
the  reef,  where,  by  slackening  away  its  own  tackle 
it  was  at  last  safely  deposited. 

He  examined  the  craft  anxiously,  and  Eleanor 
watched  his  face  grow  grave  as  he  looked  long  at 
the  great  hole  near  the  bow,  torn  through  the  iron 
bottom  by  the  jagged  points  of  coral  rock.  The 
metal  was  twisted  and  split  and  the  riveted  seams 
were  opened  and  sprung  for  half  her  length.  Star- 
buck  gave  a  sigh  and  passed  his  hand  across  his 
forehead. 

"What  is  it?"  she  asked. 


THE    RAISING   OF   THE   DINGHY     205 

"  It's  no  good,"  he  replied  after  a  pause.  "  It's 
all  for  nothing,  all  this,"  and  he  swept  a  gesture 
toward  the  derrick  upon  which  he  had  spent  so 
much  toil.  "  I  never  can  patch  that  hole,"  he  said 
in  a  strained  voice,  "  not  in  a  million  years." 

The  girl  gave  a  little  sigh  of  sympathy  at  his  dis- 
appointment, for,  though  in  her  heart  she  was  glad 
to  escape  the  fearsome  voyage  the  boat  might  have 
meant,  she  felt  for  him  at  the  failure  of  his  great 
hopes. 

"  But,"  she  said,  "  we  can  tow  it  ashore  and  you 
will  have  metal  to  make  all  kinds  of  tools,  and  per- 
haps you  could  build  a  boat,  larger  and  better  even 
than  this." 

"  Good,  you're  a  thoroughbred.  You'd  put  heart 
in  a  dead  man,"  he  exclaimed,  striking  his  hard 
palms  together  in  resolution.  "  You  always  have 
to  show  me  the  way  at  last." 

Hauling  the  boat  up  bow  first  at  the  junction  of 
the  outrigger  spar  and  the  gunwale  of  the  canoe, 
and  with  the  sheers  and  tackle  towing  behind,  they 
slowly  made  the  shore,  where  they  beached  the 
dinghy  beyond  the  reach  of  the  sea  and  turned  their 
attention  to  their  evening  meal. 

While  he  was  engaged  in  their  simple  cookery 
she  disappeared  for  a  few  moments,  and  when  she 
came  from  the  lodge  it  was  with  something  white 
in  her  hands.    Wondering,  Starbuck  looked  up,  and 


206   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

as  he  saw  what  it  was  he  became  hotly  conscious  of 
his  half  naked  condition. 

"  And  you  made  this  for  me  ?  "  he  said,  taking 
from  her  what  she  held  forth.  "  And  out  of  your 
sheet,"  he  added  as  the  little  sacrifice  occurred  to 
him. 

It  was  a  shirt,  neatly  made,  and  the  best  fitting 
he  had  ever  owned,  he  declared  as  he  came  from 
his  hut  a  few  moments  later  proudly  wearing  it. 
And  as  he  thanked  her  roundly  the  warm  colour 
flew  to  her  cheeks  again  and  the  shock  of  her  great 
fright  departed. 


CHAPTER    XIII 

IN    THE   BONDS   OF   SERVICE 

The  southwest  monsoon  was  now  well  estab- 
lished, bringing  with  it  heavy  rains  and  warmer 
days.  Plant  life  seemed  to  take  heart  in  the  mois- 
ture and  heat,  and  the  vegetation  on  the  island  grew 
rank  and  tall.  One  day,  while  making  a  circuit  of 
the  lagoon  in  the  canoe,  which  he  had  fitted  with  the 
dinghy's  sail,  Starbuck  spied  on  the  south  shore, 
several  large  turtles,  basking  in  the  sun  and  evi- 
dently preparing  to  deposit  their  eggs.  Aware  that 
if  disturbed  they  might  quit  the  beach  for  good,  he 
forbore  to  land  and  contented  himself  with  noting 
the  position  of  the  spot.  On  the  following  day  he 
returned  and  found  a  large  number  of  eggs  buried 
in  the  sand,  which  he  carried  carefully  home,  a  wel- 
come and  delicious  addition  to  the  evening  menu. 

To  vary  their  diet  Starbuck  had  made  a  careful 
exploration  of  every  part  of  the  island,  and  greatly 
to  his  satisfaction  he  found  that  the  natives,  who 
had  been  driven  ofif  by  the  eruption,  had  evidently 
been  of  the  more  thrifty  sort,  for  near  the  buried 
village  he  discovered  evidences  of  cultivation  of  the 

207 


208   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

taro  plant,  one  of  the  most  nutritious  and  delicate 
of  the  vegetable  foods  of  the  Pacific  islands.  Dig- 
ging up  several  of  the  bulbous  roots,  he  wrapped 
them,  with  their  soil,  in  plantain  leaves  and  carried 
them  to  the  valley,  where  he  set  them  out,  carefully 
watering  and  tending  them.  They  flourished  well, 
and  repeating  the  experiment  many  times,  he  soon 
had  a  patch  large  enough  for  his  needs. 

The  root  of  the  plant,  though  acrid  to  the  taste 
when  raw,  was  mild  and  pleasant  when  baked,  and 
after  being  crushed  and  fermented,  becomes  the 
famous  poi,  which  is  perhaps  the  national  dish  of 
the  Hawaiians  and  many  other  peoples  of  the  ocean 
world.  It  was  nothing  new  to  Starbuck,  who  ate 
it  with  a  relish,  but  with  Eleanor  it  was  an  ac- 
quired taste.  The  peculiar  flavour,  at  first,  was  dis- 
agreeable, but  after  a  few  trials  she  began  to  find 
its  good  points,  and  the  taro  patch  rapidly  became 
one  of  their  chief  assets. 

Starbuck  found  that  the  plant  needed  much  water, 
and  to  save  labour  dug  irrigating  ditches  from  the 
stream.  While  at  work  on  these  he  hit  upon  the 
plan  of  bringing  water  direct  to  the  camp  by 
means  of  bamboo  pipes,  with  the  joints  set  in  clay. 
This  was  accomplished,  to  the  delight  of  Eleanor, 
who  had  taken  upon  herself  the  laborious  duty  of 
providing  fresh  water,  along  with  her  other  culinary 
activities. 


IN    THE    BONDS    OF    SERVICE        20» 

Starbuck  now  bethought  him  of  a  store  of  food 
against  any  possible  failure  of  the  supply.  While 
this  did  not  seem  at  all  likely,  he  knew  that  the 
breadfruit  tree  sometimes  refused  to  bear  abun- 
dantly, and  taro,  in  certain  seasons,  was  difficult  to 
grow.  Accordingly  he  gathered  a  large  quantity 
of  ripe  breadfruits,  which  were  separately  deprived 
of  their  rinds  and  cores  and  worked  with  a  pestle 
to  a  doughy  consistency.  Wrapped  in  leaves,  small 
packages  of  this  were  buried  in  the  earth  to  be  used 
at  need,  the  only  final  preparation  being  to  bake 
the  parcels  just  as  they  were.  The  baked  fruit, 
mixed  with  water,  turned  into  a  rather  stringy  mix- 
ture that  looked  not  unlike  Welsh  rarebit  and  was 
another  form  of  poi,  very  good,  when  one  became 
accustomed  to  it. 

The  herd  of  pigs,  upon  which  they  had  made  fre- 
quent requisition  of  late,  was  still  numerous  and 
seemed  to  be  multiplying.  They  were  in'  no  sense 
tame,  and  two  of  the  boars  which  Starbuck  had  met 
on  his  excursions  had  been  strongly  inclined  to  show 
fight.  For  his  own  protection  and  that  of  the  girl  he 
had  forged  out  of  iron  from  the  boat,  two  spear- 
heads, which,  equipped  with  shafts  made  of  the 
light,  tough  ribs  of  cocoanut  leaves,  were  efficient 
weapons  for  hunting  or  for  defence.  He  taught 
Eleanor  how  to  balance  and  throw,  and  by  practice 
the  girl  became  nearly  as  expert  as  he.    And  there 


210   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

came  a  day  when  her  ability  was  put  to  the 
test. 

The  two  had  been  on  a  visit  to  the  other  side  of 
the  island,  and  were  returning,  contrary  to  their 
usual  custom,  across  country.  They  had  climbed 
the  steep  bed  of  lava  that  led  to  the  top  of  the  vol- 
canic hill,  for  the  purpose  of  resetting  their  flag- 
staff, which  had  been  thrown  down  in  a  gusty  wind 
the  day  before.  As  they  descended  on  the  other 
side,  and  emerged  from  the  canebrake,  througji 
which  Starbuck  hewed  a  way  with  his  axe,  they 
saw,  barely  half  a  dozen  yards  away,  rooting  peace- 
fully, the  largest  boar  they  had  yet  encountered.  He 
was  a  fierce  looking  beast,  with  small  red  eyes,  a 
bristly  ridge  along  his  back,  and  tusks  that  curled 
wickedly  from  his  jaw. 

At  their  approach  the  boar  threw  up  his  head 
with  a  grunt  of  inquiry,  but  instead  of  running  or 
moving  off,  he  continued  to  stand  directly  in  their 
path,  defiantly  prepared  to  dispute  their  passage. 
With  axe  poised  for  a  blow,  Starbuck  advanced,  in- 
tending to  split  the  animal's  head  with  a  stroke. 
The  girl,  just  behind  him,  hearing  a  sudden  rush, 
laid  a  cautioning  hand  on  his  shoulder,  and  as  she 
saw  her  warning  unheeded,  balanced  her  spear  in 
readiness,  should  the  man  miss  his  aim. 

After  a  few  steps,  expecting  every  moment  to  see 
the  pig  turn,  Starbuck  jumped  forward  and  dealt  a 


IN    THE    BONDS    OF    SERVICE        211 

lightning  blow  with  his  weapon.  The  boar,  quick 
as  a  panther,  dodged  the  steel  and  leaped  straight 
for  the  man,  who,  taken  unawares,  slipped  on  a 
slimy  root  and  fell  prone  on  his  back.  With  chin 
erected  and  head  lowered,  the  angry  brute  made  a 
rush,  as  Starbuck,  partly  recovering  himself,  seized 
the  axe  that  had  slid  from  his  hand  and  endeavoured 
to  ward  off  the  attack.  A  glancing  blow,  awk- 
wardly delivered,  caught  the  pig  on  the  shoulder, 
turning  him  aside  for  an  instant,  but  the  next  he 
returned  to  the  fight  with  dripping  jaws,  his  tusks 
lowered  to  rip  the  vitals  of  the  enemy  before  him. 
Starbuck,  struggling  to  his  knees,  seemed  almost 
helpless  to  defend  himself  against  this  second  as- 
sault and  had  raised  his  axe  for  a  last  desperate 
stroke,  when,  swift  as  light,  something  flashed  by 
his  head,  and  Eleanor  Channing's  spear  buried  itself 
behind  the  boar's  foreshoulder. 

With  a  squeal  of  rage  and  pain  the  beast  dropped 
to  its  knees,  struggled  once  to  rise,  took  a  step  for- 
ward and  rolled  over  in  its  death  spasm. 

Starbuck,  on  his  feet  in  an  instant,  caught  the 
girl's  two  hands  between  both  his  own  and  poured 
out  in  quick  words,  his  thanks  and  his  Dride  in  her. 

"  As  quick,  as  cool,  as  brave,"  he  cried,  "  as  any 
man  I  know.  You've  saved  my  life,  Miss  —  Miss 
—  Eleanor,  and  now  we're  quits." 

"  No,"  she  contradicted  him,  though  by  this  time 


212   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

she  was  atremble  with  excitement,  "  only  half 
quits.    I  owe  you  still  another  life  —  and  more." 

Starbuck  dragged  the  dead  boar  to  the  camp,  and 
as  she  followed,  a  new  and  strange  feeling  grew  in 
her  heart.  It  was  a  sense  of  power,  of  strength, 
of  self-reliance.  She  could  kill!  It  was  the  first 
life  she  had  ever  taken,  and  the  knowledge  that  she 
was  able  to  protect  herself  in  danger,  to  hold  her 
own  in  single  combat  with  a  dangerous  beast, 
brought  an  exaltation  that  was  utterly  foreign  to 
her.  She  gloried  in  her  prowess,  and  she  glowed 
with  pleasure  at  the  man's  praise. 

As  the  days  went  by  Starbuck  became  vaguely 
aware  of  the  change  in  her.  Something,  that  be- 
fore had  held  him  at  a  distance  and  made  him  feel 
that  he  was  only  some  one  who  was  of  use,  and  who 
could  not,  for  the  time  being,  be  dispensed  with; 
something  that  had  been  holding  her  aloof  from 
him,  now  seemed  to  dissolve  between  the  two  and 
leave  them  nearer  to  each  other,  more  companion- 
able, more  in  each  other's  confidence,  and  more  alike 
in  thought  and  action.  It  was  not  that  she  extended 
to  him  any  thought  of  a  closer  intimacy,  but  her 
manner  toward  him  changed.  She  asked  his  advice 
in  many  little  things,  personal  things,  and  talked 
of  her  own  affairs,  her  cookery,  her  dress,  and  one 
day  even  of  her  toilet. 

They  had  been  fishing  all  one  long,  hot  after- 


IN    THE    BONDS    OF    SERVICE        213 

noon  in  the  lagoon.  The  strong  rays  of  the  high 
sun  beat  down  on  them  without  mercy,  and  in  the 
lee  of  the  high  island  there  was  not  enough  breeze 
to  stir  the  water.  When  they  returned,  she  com- 
plained of  feeling  faint  and  dizzy,  and  lay  down 
for  a  time  in  her  hut.  She  ate  little  that  night,  par- 
taking only  of  the  boiled  greens  they  made  from 
the  tops  of  the  taro  plants.  As  this  was  unusual  in 
her,  Starbuck  anxiously  inquired  if  she  were  ill. 
She  responded,  a  little  weakly,  that  her  head  felt 
dull  and  painful,  but  that  she  would  no  doubt  be 
right  again  in  the  morning. 

Satisfied  that  there  was  nothing  serious  amiss 
they  parted  as  usual  for  the  night,  and  the  next 
day,  though  the  symptoms  had  almost  entirely  dis- 
appeared, he  opened  the  subject. 

"  I  shouldn't  have  kept  you  out  there  in  the  sun 
yesterday,"  he  said,  "  and  without  a  hat,  too.  You 
must  have  nearly  cooked  your  brains." 

"  I  think  I  must,"  she  answered,  putting  her 
hands  to  her  head.  "  My  head  feels  hot,  even  now, 
and  my  hair  is  so  dry  that  it  crackles  when  I  touch 
it." 

Her  hair  was  indeed  in  bad  cohdition.  The  sun 
had  bleached  it  from  its  darker  shade  to  a  tawny 
yellow,  and  it  was  rough,  wiry  and  dull  with  the 
burning  it  had  suffered. 

"  What   you   need   is   some    of   the    Marquesan 


214   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

remedy,"  he  said.  "  The  girls  in  those  islands  go 
bareheaded,  always,  but  they  take  care  of  their  hair 
very  carefully,  and  they  have  beautiful  heads 
of  it." 

**  Well,"  she  replied,  "  we've  never  needed  a  phar- 
macy on  Starbuck  Island  before,  but  if  you  can 
produce  the  remedy  I  should  be  glad  to  use  it." 

And  Starbuck  straightway  did.  Pounding  the 
meat  of  several  cocoanuts,  he  placed  it  in  a  calabash 
with  holes  punched  in  its  bottom,  and  set  the  dish 
in  the  hot  sun  over  a  bowl  to  catch  the  dripping  oil 
that  exuded.  This  he  clarified  by  boiling,  but  here 
her  objection  to  its  sweet,  sickish  odour  led  her  to 
protest. 

"  If  you  intend  me  to  use  that  on  my  hair,"  she 
said,  "  you  need  take  no  more  trouble,  for  I  could 
never  stand  that  smell." 

"  No  ?  "  he  mocked.    "  Wait  until  I  am  through." 

She  watched  him  doubtfully  as  he  went  about 
picking  the  jasmine  flowers  that  grew  everywhere 
in  the  utmost  profusion,  and  began  to  show  more 
interest  as  he  placed  them  on  a  mat  of  heavy  tappa 
cloth,  which  he  had  previously  soaked  in  the  oil  of 
the  candle  nut.  Oil  and  flowers  were  renewed  from 
time  to  time,  and  at  last,  when  the  former  was 
pressed  from  the  cloth,  it  gave  a  sweet,  fragrant 
compound,  the  very  essence  of  the  blossom's  delicate 
perfume.     This  was  mixed  with  the  cocoanut  oil 


IN    THE    BONDS    OF    SERVICE        215 

and  the  whole  sealed  in  the  shell  of  a  nut,  which 
Starbuck  called  the  moo  tree  nut.  In  a  day  or  two 
the  contents  had  absorbed  from  the  shell  a  pungent 
odour,  which,  combined  with  that  of  the  jasmine, 
made  a  perfume  that  she  pronounced  delicious. 

"  It's  the  sun  on  the  back  of  your  neck  that  is 
dangerous,"  counselled  Starbuck,  "  and  if  I  were 
you  I  should  wear  my  hair  over  it." 

Forthwith  she  retired  with  her  new  unguent,  and 
when  she  came  forth  her  hair  was  no  longer  coiled 
tightly  on  her  head  as  he  had  heretofore  seen  it, 
but  caught  loosely  below  her  neck  in  a  thick,  soft, 
shining  braid  that  fell  to  her  hips,  where  the  ends 
curled  crisply. 

She  looked  so  girlish  in  her  new  guise  that  the 
man  could  hardly  repress  an  exclamation.  She 
noticed  his  glance,  and  laughingly  pirouetted  a  few 
steps,  her  skirt  caught  up  in  either  hand,  the  long 
plait  swinging  over  her  shoulder  as  she  whirled. 

"  I  feel  just  sixteen  again,"  she  cried.  "  Is  it 
becoming  ?  " 

"  Very,"  he  smiled  in  frank  admiration  of  the 
glowing  tresses,  no  longer  rough,  but  smooth  as 
silk,  and  shot  with  gleams  of  sunlight. 

As  time  went  on  and  no  sail  appeared  to  break 
the  blue  expanse  of  the  Pacific,  they  grew  less  and 
less  to  think,  with  recurring  hope,  of  their  rescue. 
The  peace  of  the  island,  the  warm,  genial  days  and 


216   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

nights,  the  abundance  of  food,  and  interest  in  their 
daily  occupations,  caused  at  last  a  sort  of  content- 
ment to  creep  into  the  heart  of  each.  Their  ways 
had  fallen  together,  and  as  the  days  grew  to  weeks, 
and  the  weeks  to  months,  the  edge  of  their  actual 
desolation  was  dulled  and  they  became  absorbed  in 
their  own  existence.  Still,  in  the  heart  of  the  man 
there  was  something  sadly  amiss.  As  he  came  and 
went  in  his  round  of  duties  he  watched  her  at  her 
various  feminine  occupations,  and  as  the  man  of 
the  far  gone  ages  might  have  done,  he  was  at  pains 
to  think  of  the  things  that  might  give  her  pleasure. 
Once  he  brought  her  a  pearl  that  he  had  found  in 
the  shell  of  an  oyster,  dredged  up  from  the  depths 
of  the  lagoon;  another  time  he  surprised  her  with 
the  present  of  a  comb,  delicately  made  from  the 
shell  of  a  great  hawk-bill  turtle.  Many  little  things 
he  did  which  she  accepted  with  a  quiet  apprecia- 
tion that  none  the  less  conveyed  to  him  her  pleas- 
ure. 

Sitting  one  rainy  day  under  the  deep  verandah 
of  her  house,  she  sought  again  to  draw  from  him 
more  of  his  life.  Little  details  of  his  various 
adventures  had  naturally  escaped  him  from  time 
to  time;  people  he  had  known,  both  men  and 
women;  dangers  that  he  had  faced,  difficulties 
overcome. 

"  It  seems  strange,"  he  said,  as  he  rose  to  a  bait 


IN   THE    BONDS   OF    SERVICE        217 

she  cunningly  offered,  "  strange,  that  of  all  the 
things  that  have  happened  in  my  life,  none  of  them 
has  ever  made  me  feel  like  this." 

Seeing  that  such  a  beginning  might  possibly  lead 
to  more  serious  things  than  she  had  anticipated,  she 
sought  her  mind  for  a  means  of  diverting  its  course, 
but  she  found  herself  merely  with  the  question, 
"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  upon  her  lips. 

"  Why,"  he  answered,  "  I  mean  this  is  the  first 
time  in  my  whole  life  that  I  have  had  a  chance  to 
think.  Really  think,  I  mean,  about  big  things; 
about  ambition,  and  how  to  make  myself  more  than 
I  am.  I  used  to  believe,"  he  went  on,  twisting  a 
ribbon  of  tappa  cloth  between  his  strong  fingers, 
"  that  when  I  could  walk  the  deck  of  my  own  liner 
with  gold  lace  to  my  elbows,  and  sit  at  table  with 
the  best  looking  women,  and  patronize  passengers 
with  silly  compliments,  that  then  I  should  be  at 
the  top  of  all  my  hopes.  I  used  to  think  of  that 
through  the  nights  when  I  was  watching  the  stars 
from  the  bridge  of  a  dirty  tramp,  and  I  used  to  think 
it  when  I  saw  some  big  P.  &  O.  boat  pushing  her 
nose  into  the  canal  at  Port  Said.  And  I  thought 
that  I  was  on  the  way  to  just  that  when  they  prom- 
ised me  the  chief's  berth  on  the  old  Marquesas  that 
lies  out  there,  but  now  —  " 

"  Now  ?  "  she  echoed  as  he  paused. 

"  Why,  now  my  ambition  is  so  much  bigger  than 


218        THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

that,  that  it  seems  almost  too  far  away  ever  to 
reach." 

He  stopped  and  sat  silent  a  long  time,  and  she 
did  not  ask  him  what  his  ambition  was. 

"  Tell  me,  won't  you,"  she  said  at  last,  "  of  some 
of  the  people  you  have  had  for  friends.  You  must 
have  met  and  known  a  great  many  in  your  life." 

"  Friends  ?  "  he  questioned.  *'  I  don't  know  that 
I  have  had  many  friends.  There  was  an  engineer, 
once,  of  a  cargo  boat  I  was  mate  in,  that  I  thought 
was  a  friend.  We  shared  a  cabin  together  for 
nearly  the  whole  of  a  voyage  to  Australia  and  back. 
He  was  a  Scotchman  afid  I  thought  him  one  of  the 
best.  I  would  have  trusted  my  life  to  him  any- 
where, but  on  our  run  home  we  touched  at  San 
Francisco  and  got  to  seeing  the  town  a  little.  I 
guess  it  was  a  gay  night,  but  the  last  I  remembered 
was  trying  to  fight  oflF  a  deadly  sleeping-drug  as  I 
felt  my  '  friend's  '  red,  bristly  beard  against  my 
face  as  he  leaned  over  and  went  through  my  pockets. 
When  I  came  to  again  the  ship  had  sailed,  and  I  was 
left  on  the  Barbary  Coast  with  just  the  clothes  I 
stood  in.     That  was  one  friendship !  " 

"  Why,"  he  asked,  suddenly  turning  to  her,  "  why 
is  it  that  you  want  me  to  talk  about  myself?  It  is 
mostly  a  story  of  low  adventures  that  you  should 
not  wish  to  hear.  Suppose  I  told  it  all;  all  the 
things  I  can   remember.     About  the  carousals  in 


IN    THE    BONDS    OF    SERVICE        219 

ports  with  men  not  fit  for  you  even  to  think  of,  and 
women  —  women  that  a  girl  like  you  ought  not  to 
more  than  guess  at.  What  good  would  it  do  you 
to  hear  about  them?  There  is  nothing  about  you 
that  has  anything  in  common  with  that  sort  of  life. 
Why,  that,  all  of  that,  is  what  I  want  to  put  behind. 
I've  been  as  wild  as  any,  I  suppose.  I  knew  no 
better.  Young,  I  was,  and  full  of  spirits  and  dare- 
deviltry,  and  in  those  old  days  if  I  did  what  I  am 
ashamed  to  speak  of  now,  I  confess  it  and  I  want 
only  to  forget." 

*'  Why ! "  he  cried,  facing  her  and  leaning  for- 
ward in  his  earnestness,  "  you  are  the  only  good 
woman  I  have  ever  known.  Think  of  that!  The 
only  one  in  a  lifetime,  and  it  seems  like  a  sort  of 
dream,  even  now,  that  I  should  know  you  as  I  do; 
one  of  the  women  I  have  always  looked  up  at  from 
way  down  below,  and  wondered  what  they  were  like. 
I  can't  tell  you  what  it's  meant  to  me!  Just  being 
with  you  and  hearing  you  and  seeing  you!  And 
you  asked  me  to  call  you  by  your  name.  That  was 
the  sweetest  moment  of  all.  I  wonder  if  you  know 
that." 

She  was  not  looking  at  him  now,  but  with  her 
eyes  cast  down,  sat  motionless,  her  breast  rising  and 
falling,  sweetly,  with  her  quickly  caught  breath. 

"  Some  day,"  he  went  on,  quietly,  but  with  a 
deep  note  of  gentleness  in  his  voice,  "  some  day, 


220   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

after  we  have  left  this  place,  and  after  I  am  able, 
I  am  coming  to  you  and  ask  you  if  all  this,  —  all 
that  we  have  lived  through  together  here  is  to  mean 
nothing,  or  whether  we  have  grown  so  close  just 
to  be  cheated  at  the  end  of  whatever  happiness  there 
is  in  the  world.    That  is  my  great  ambition." 

She  tried  to  speak,  tried  to  meet  his  look,  sought 
to  form  in  her  mind  some  word  for  him.  If  he 
had  only  come  to  her  and  taken  her  in  his  arms  she 
would  have  known  an  answer. 

After  a  little  while  of  patient  waiting  he  rose, 
slowly,  and  went  out  into  the  rain.  The  moment 
was  over  and  he  was  gone.  Perhaps  it  would  never 
come  again. 


CHAPTER   XIV 

THE     HUSK   OF   CONVENTION 

To  Eleanor  Channing  a  wonderful  thing  had  hap- 
pened. At  the  moment  when  the  shaft  sped  from 
her  hand  to  take  the  life  of  a  wild  beast  that  was 
threatening  her  mate,  the  thin  husk  of  convention 
had  been  rent  asunder  and  had  fallen  from  her  like 
an  old  and  outworn  garment.  From  its  chrysalis 
she  had  stepped,  like  Parwati  from  the  snowy  moun- 
tain, a  new  being,  warm-blooded,  quickened  in  every 
pulse,  brimming  with  young  life  and  love.  She  had 
not  realized  then,  she  did  not  realize  now,  that 
from  that  moment,  when  she  stood  fighting  for  the 
life  of  this  man,  she  was  his,  body  and  soul,  pledged 
to  him  eternally  in  the  high  bonds  "of  love  and  serv- 
ice, plighted  there  under  the  waving  trees  and  the 
sunlit  sky,  with  a  troth  never  to  be  broken  while 
she  lived. 

Of  her  formal  engagement  to  marry  she  had  not 
even  thought,  but  it  occurred  to  her  now,  as  she 
sat  looking  with  bright,  wet  eyes  after  the  man  she 
loved.  He  had  said  "  after  we  have  left  this  place," 
but  he  did  not  know.    Had  it  been  fair  td  leave  him 

221 


222   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

in  ignorance  of  this  promise?  Would  he  have  ven- 
tured his  words  to  her,  as  he  had  to-day,  if  he  had 
known?  Should  she  tell  him  now,  as  her  answer, 
and  let  this  misty  far-flown  obligation  stand  be- 
tween them  with  its  meaningless  barrier?  She 
could  think  of  no  man  of  her  acquaintance  who 
would  let  it  stand.    Would  he  ? 

Her  soul  was  whipped  by  the  flagellations  of 
her  mind,  as  the  thought  came  that  it  might  be 
months,  perhaps  even  years,  before  relief  appeared, 
and  the  prospect  of  waiting  endlessly  for  the  love 
that  was  by  right  hers,  was  unbearable  in  her  sud- 
den realization  of  this  elemental  passion.  Why  had 
he  not  caught  her  in  his  arms  and  taken  her,  whether 
she  would  or  no?  She  was  almost  angry  at  his 
patience  as  she  heard  him  chopping  on  the  beach  be- 
low. How  should  she  greet  him  again,  with  the 
knowledge  of  both  their  loves  upon  her  heart  ? 

But  the  mood  passed,  and  as  the  rain  ceased  she 
was  able,  with  almost  her  old  cheery  smile,  to  go  to 
him  when  he  called  her  to  see  a  school  of  baby 
bonitos  disporting  themselves  oflF  shore. 

Starbuck,  after  his  confession,  had  watched  the 
downward  glance  of  the  woman  he  loved,  waiting 
for  some  outward  sign  of  what  his  words  had 
meant,  but  unschooled  in  true  love's  attitudes,  he 
had  seen  nothing.  Her  silence  told  him  that  she 
was  not  ready  to  answer,  and  that  he  must  go  on 


THE    HUSK    OF    CONVENTION        223 

as  he  had  planned  to  do,  patiently,  with  her  honour 
lying  between  them  until  he  should  have  the  right 
to  woo  and  win  her,  if  he  could,  before  all  the  world. 

With  a  new  found  earnestness  of  desire  to  find  a 
means  of  leaving  the  island,  Starbuck  now  turned 
the  most  of  his  attention  to  the  building  of  a  boat. 
With  the  iron  of  the  dinghy  in  ample  supply,  he 
was  able  to  turn  out  a  far  better  collection  of  tools 
than  he  had  before  possessed,  and  with  these,  and 
his  sailor's  knowledge,  plus  a  certain  native  ingenu- 
ity, he  laboured  for  days  at  a  time,  the  fabric  grow- 
ing slowly  under  his  hands,  as  each  part  was  fash- 
ioned with  painstaking  care.  The  laying  of  the 
keel,  the  moulding  of  the  frame,  the  planking  and 
bracing  of  the  new  boat  was  watched  with  jealous 
eyes  by  Elear^or,  who  now  added  to  her  terror  of  the 
sea,  the  fear  which  grew  into  an  obsession,  that  if 
they  left  the  island  by  this  means  one  of  two  things 
would  surely  happen.  Either  they  would  be  lost  in 
the  sea,  or,  being  spared,  would  lose  each  other  in 
the  ocean  of  the  world  of  men. 

He  noticed  her  aversion  to  the  now  nearly  com- 
pleted craft,  and  wondered  at  it,  never  fathoming 
the  real  reason,  but  laying  it  always  to  her  horror 
of  the  sea,  caught,  no  doubt,  as  she  had  said,  during 
her  days  in  the  open  boat,  following  the  wreck. 
These  fears,  indeed,  she  openly  expressed,  and 
though  he  laughed  at  them,  it  was  always  with  a 


224   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

feeling  of  uneasiness  lest  at  the  last  she  should 
utterly  refuse  to  embark.  He  now  redoubled  his 
watchfulness,  often  climbing  to  the  volcano's  summit 
to  scan  the  horizon  for  the  glimmer  of  a  sail.  Once, 
he  thought  he  saw  the  topsails  of  a  ship,  but  the 
vision  went  out  before  his  eyes  like  the  fading  of  a 
dream,  and  he  kept  it  to  himself. 

The  days  and  weeks  passed  swiftly,  and  it  was 
time  again  for  the  changing  of  the  monsoon  to  the 
northeast.  Unsettled  weather  prevailed,  with  fierce 
gales  that  swept  the  island  with  their  blasts,  up- 
rooting trees  and  piling  them  like  jackstraws,  up 
and  down  the  beach.  Starbuck  saw  that  he  would 
have  to  build  a  more  substantial  habitation  to  with- 
stand the  wind,  and  set  about  it  at  once.  With 
stones  as  large  as  he  could  carry,  he  built  a  low 
platform,  and  on  this  anchored  the  house  that  was  to 
be  hers.  It  was  a  larger  structure,  better  built  in 
every  way  than  the  first,  and  once  installed,  she  felt 
happier  than  she  had  for  weeks.  Its  air  of  per- 
manency seemed  to  put  off,  at  least  for  a  time,  the 
spectre  of  the  sea,  and  thus  lifted  a  heavy  weight 
from  her  mind.  Starbuck  built  himself  a  smaller 
lodge,  nearer  the  other  than  the  first  had  been,  and 
there  took  up  his  quarters  with  some  satisfaction. 
The  boat  was  now  finished  and  he  only  awaited 
fine  weather  for  her  trial.  He  spoke  with  enthusi- 
asm of  her  lines  and  her  trimness,  but  sympathy 


THE    HUSK   OF    CONVENTION       225 

was  lacking  in  Eleanor's  response,  and  he  dropped 
the  subject,  more  or  less  puzzled. 

The  first  day  that  the  northeast  monsoon  seemed 
really  to  have  settled  itself,  Starbuck  appointed  as 
the  day  for  his  trial  voyage,  which  was  to  be  around 
the  island,  but  as  he  was  making  his  preparations 
Eleanor  came  to  him  and  begged  him  to  climb  after 
a  particularly  fine  bunch  of  green  cocoanuts  on  a 
palm  that  grew  at  a  little  distance  on  the  edge  of  the 
beach. 

He  easily  consented  and  she  brought  him  his 
climbing  gear,  which  consisted  of  a  strip  of  sennit 
a  foot  long  and  about  two  inches  in  width,  looped 
at  each  end  to  admit  his  feet.  With  his  arms  about 
the  trunk,  and  the  strap  pressed  against  the  rough 
bark,  he  could  make  his  way  rapidly  to  the  top, 
"  exactly  like  a  monkey  on  a  stick,"  so  the  girl 
criticized  the  performance. 

Starbuck  examined  the  strap  she  brought  him  and 
saw  that  it  was  worn  in  one  place,  but  considering 
it  good  for  at  least  one  more  climb,  he  adjusted  it 
and  began  the  ascent.  The  palm,  perhaps  seventy 
feet  tall,  was  easily  negotiated,  for  like  most  of  the 
trees  along  the  beach,  it  leaned  from  the  force  of  the 
wind,  so  that  the  climber  was  aided  greatly  by  the 
slant.  Starbuck  threw  down  the  green  husks,  one 
after  another,  and  began  to  descend. 

He  half  slid  down  the  trunk,  until,  when  about 


226   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

twenty  feet  above  the  ground,  to  her  horror,  the  girl 
saw  the  strap  break,  and  the  man  lose  his  careless 
hold.  Straight  down,  he  fell,  his  hands  clutching 
wildly  at  the  tree.  He  struck  almost  at  its  foot  and 
his  head  came  in  sharp  contact  with  a  stone.  He 
lay  very  still. 

Rushing  to  him,  Eleanor  lifted  his  head,  to  find 
an  ugly  wound  in  the  scalp  over  the  ear  from  which 
the  blood  was  oozing.  Frightened,  she  spoke  to 
him,  and  when  he  did  not  move  she  called  louder, 
her  lips  close  to  his  face. 

"  Speak  to  me,"  she  cried,  "  John,  oh,  my  heart's 
dearest,  can't  you  speak?    Can't  you  hear?  " 

Her  loosened  hair  fell  across  his  face  as  she 
leaned  over  and  took  his  head  in  her  hands,  calling 
him  by  name.  He  did  not  move  or  answer,  and 
frightened,  almost  despairing,  she  clung  to  him,  her 
breath  coming  in  quickening  sobs.  She  bent  lower 
and  kissed  him  again  and  again,  on  the  lips,  as  she 
strove  to  bring  him  back  to  her.  Finally,  rushing 
to  the  beach  she  brought  water  in  a  fold  of  her  skirt 
and  dashed  it  in  his  face,  and  then,  bending  down, 
lifted  his  head  again  in  her  arms.  Slowly  his  eyes 
opened,  unseeing  at  first  until  his  brain  cleared  from 
its  mist,  and  then  he  spoke  faintly. 

"What  is  it?"  he  asked.  "I  fell.  Are  you 
hurt?    Did  I  strike  you?" 

"  No,  no,  dear,  Fm  here,  safe,  but  you  are  hurt 


THE    HUSK    OF    CONVENTION       227 

and  bleeding.  You  struck  your  head  on  a  stone  and 
it's  badly  cut.  We  must  get  back  and  stop  the  blood. 
Do  you  think  you  can  get  up?"  she  asked,  as  he 
made  no  attempt  to  regain  his  feet. 

"  We'll  see,"  he  answered,  and  raised  his  head. 

As  he  attempted  to  lift  his  legs,  the  left  one 
dragged,  and  a  twisted  foot  fell  over  limply. 

"  It's  broken,"  he  said,  simply,  pointing  at  it. 

For  the  first  time  Eleanor  noticed  that  something 
was  wrong.  She  quickly  examined  the  leg,  fright- 
ened at  its  appearance  and  well-nigh  helpless  in  this 
new  emergency.  Starbuck,  though  beginning  to 
suffer  acutely,  was  quite  calm,  and  regarded  the 
fracture  apparently  more  in  the  light  of  an  incon- 
venience than  a  personal  injury. 

He  reached  down  and  stripped  up  the  leg  of  his 
ragged  trousers,  examining  the  flesh.  It  was  un- 
broken, thereby  immensely  lessening  the  danger,  for 
had  the  fracture  been  compound  he  would  indeed 
have  been  in  hard  case. 

"  It's  all  right,  don't  you  worry,  but  you  must 
help  me  a  little.  Never  mind  my  head,"  he  said,  as 
she  would  have  wiped  away  the  trickling  blood, 
"  that  can  wait.  It's  this  leg  that  needs  fixing  up. 
Let's  see.    Both  bones,  probably." 

He  could  feel  the  ends  of  the  larger  bone  where 
they  had  slid  by  under  the  skin,  and  made  himself 
reasonably  sure  that  there  were  no  splinters  to  take 


228   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

care  of.  Much  relieved,  he  leaned  back  on  the  sand, 
and  lying  at  full  length,  reached  behind  his  head 
for  the  projecting  root  of  a  tree. 

"  Now,"  he  directed,  "  take  hold  of  the  foot  by 
the  heel  and  toe  and  pull  it  straight.  You'll  have  to 
pull  hard,  as  hard  as  you  can.  Don't  be  afraid  of 
hurting  me.     That  can't  be  helped." 

The  girl,  supposing  no  such  force  was  necessary, 
was  drawing  gently  on  the  foot,  but  now,  at  his 
command,  she  braced  herself  and  pulled  with  all  her 
weight.  She  could  hear  the  grating  of  the  ends  of 
the  bone  as  they  were  painfully  dragged  back  into 
position,  and  she  suffered  nearly  as  much  as  he  at 
the  agony  she  knew  she  must  be  causing  him. 

"  Be  sure,"  he  cautioned,  "  to  hold  the  foot  up 
straight.  You  can  tell  it's  right  when  it  points 
directly  up  and  lies  in  a  straight  line  with  my  knee 
and  my  hip.  Got  it?"  he  inquired,  as  she  at  last 
slackened  the  pressure. 

"I  —  I  think  so,"  she  said,  out  of  breath  with 
effort  and  emotion. 

"  All  right,  now  lay  the  leg  down  carefully  and 
brace  the  foot  up  so  it  won't  flop  again,  and  we'll 
see  what  there  is  for  splints." 

He  sat  up  with  an  effort  to  hold  the  fracture  in 
place  with  his  hands  while  Eleanor  left  him. 

"  How  would  this  do?  "  she  asked,  picking  up  the 
long  slender  frond  of  a  palm  leaf. 


THE    HUSK    OF    CONVENTION        229 

"  Just  the  thing,"  he  answered.  "  You  couldn't 
have  found  anything  better  in  a  week.  Take  my 
knife  and  trim  it  down,  and  then  find  another  just 
like  it.  That's  it.  But  we  must  have  something 
soft  for  a  cushion." 

"  Would  some  tappa  cloth  do  ? "  anxiously  in- 
quired the  girl. 

"  Fine,"  he  grinned,  though  the  pain  was  bad. 
"  We'll  have  this  done  in  no  time.  You  might  get 
some  sennit  to  tie  it  around  with." 

She  dashed  off  up  the  beach  to  the  camp,  which 
lay  only  a  hundred  yards  away,  and  was  back  in  a 
flash  with  the  needed  cloth.  Wrapping  it  in  many 
folds  about  the  leg,  under  his  direction  she  laid  on 
each  side,  the  strong,  stiff  ribs  of  the  leaves  and 
began  to  wrap  the  whole,  not  with  the  coarse  fibre, 
but  with  strips  of  white  cotton  cloth. 

"  Another  sheet  ?  "  he  asked. 

She  nodded  and  kept  on  with  her  bandaging, 
finally  tying  the  ends  around  as  neat-looking  a  piece 
of  nurse's  work  as  a  professional  could  have  turned 
out. 

"  That's  fine.  You're  a  wonderful  girl,"  said 
Starbuck  as  he  again  got  his  back  against  the  tree 
trunk.  "  Now,"  he  continued,  "  you  must  find  me 
something  for  a  crutch  and  Fll  hobble  back  to  my 
little  home." 

Finding  nothing  that  suited  her  purpose,  she  took 


230   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

the  axe  and  went  deeper  into  the  undergrowth, 
where  he  presently  heard  her  chopping. 

"  Don't  do  that !  "  he  cried  out  sharply.  "  Don't 
use  that  axe!    You'll  cut  yourself." 

But  she  did  not  heed  and  was  soon  back  with  two 
crotched  sticks  of  hibiscus  wood,  which  she  pro- 
ceeded to  measure  under  his  armpits,  cutting  them 
off  with  awkward  strokes  that  brought  forth  a  new 
protest  from  the  helpless  man. 

"  I'd  rather  roll  back,"  he  exclaimed,  as  she 
finished  without  mishap,  "  than  have  you  cut  your- 
self with  that." 

"  I'm  not  so  sure  that  you  ought  to  be  moved," 
she  said  with  a  professional  cant  of  her  head  and  a 
reflective  look  at  the  white  bandage.  "  People  with 
broken  legs  should  lie  very  still,  I've  heard,  or  some- 
thing horrible  happens  and  they  limp  for  the  rest  of 
their  lives." 

"  Hoh,"  he  scorned,  "  that's  well  enough  for  civ- 
ilized folks,  but  nothing  like  that  ever  happens  to 
savages  like  us.  Why,  I've  seen  some  surgery  in 
these  islands  that  would  make  a  civilized  doctor 
stare.  Once,  when  one  of  those  Marquesas  Kana- 
kas broke  a  leg  in  two  places,  I  saw  their  head 
wizard  chop  off  the  ends  of  the  bone  and  whittle  a 
hollow  stick  of  wood  to  fit,  and  tie  it  in.  And  that 
fellow  was  walking  about  as  good  as  new  inside  of 
six  weeks.     It's  a  fact,"  he  asserted,  as  she  waved 


THE    HUSK    OF    CONVENTION!        231 

an  incredulous  hand,  "  and,  more  than  that,  down 
there,  when  one  of  them  gets  a  broken  skull  from 
a  club  on  the  head,  they  trephine  him  with  a  piece  of 
polished  cocoanut  shell." 

He  looked  so  solemn  as  he  said  it  that  she  burst 
out  laughing,  and  he  took  advantage  of  the  diver- 
sion to  seize  his  crutches  and  essay  to  rise.  It  was  a 
painful  effort,  but  with  the  girl's  help  he  managed 
to  get  on  his  good  foot  and  hobble  slowly  the  short 
distance  that  seemed  to  him  endless.  She  insisted 
that  he  should  take  up  his  quarters  in  her  own  hut, 
and,  sick  with  the  pain,  he  consented  without  argu- 
ment. She  deftly  arranged  the  grass  mats  for  his 
comfort,  and  with  the  injured  limb  on  a  pillow  cov- 
ered with  tappa  cloth  and  filled  with  the  soft  cocoa- 
nut  fibre,  he  closed  his  eyes  and  dropped  into  a  doze. 
With  more  of  the  torn  sheet  she  made  a  bandage  for 
the  cut  head,  though  she  had  no  dressing  except 
water,  which  she  sterilized  by  boiling.  When  he 
awoke  a  little  later  he  found  her  by  his  side,  gently 
fanning  him.     She  looked  down  and  smiled. 

"  Do  you  want  anything  ?  "  she  asked. 

For  answer  he  reached  out  and  took  her  hand. 

"  You're  pretty  good  to  me,"  he  said. 


CHAPTER    XV 

THE   GIVING   AND  THE   TAKING 

As  the  day  drew  to  a  close,  Starbuck  became  rest- 
less and  feverish.  The  pain  of  his  leg  became 
greater  and  the  wound  in  his  head  troubled  him. 
Eleanor  never  left  his  side  except  to  bring  him 
cool  water  from  the  trough  outside  the  door,  or  to 
attend  to  her  cookery.  When  the  darkness  came, 
she  lighted  a  little  shell  lamp  he  had  made  for  her, 
which  burned  with  a  clearer  flame  than  the  old 
candlenuts,  and  sat  beside  him,  mothering  him  and 
bathing  his  hot  head  with  cool  wet  cloths.  He 
slept  fitfully,  waking  sometimes  with  a  start,  and 
calling  her  name.  She  dared  not  doze  lest  in  his 
restlessness  he  disturb  the  setting  of  his  leg,  and 
the  night  passed  slowly. 

As  the  small  hours  grew,  he  fell  into  a  deeper 
sleep,  and  she  was  able  to  catch  a  few  moments' 
rest,  holding  his  hand,  that  any  motion  might 
awaken  her. 

In  the  morning  his  fever  seemed  decreased  and  he 
was  able  to  take  a  little  of  the  poi  that  she  had 
made.     Making  him  promise  to  be  still,  she  went 

232 


THE  GIVING  AND  THE  TAKING    233 

out  to  gather  fresh  taros  and  to  bathe  in  the  stream. 
The  clean  morning  air  with  its  hint  of  crispness, 
for  it  was  November,  gave  her  a  sort  of  fierce  joy 
at  being  alive,  and  as  she  came  from  the  water  she 
raised  her  hands  above  her  head  and  stretched  them 
out  with  a  movement  that  embraced  all  the  world, 
for  though  she  knew  that  the  man  she  loved  was 
suffering,  she  could  not  conceal  from  herself  the 
consciousness  that  now  he  was  hers,  to  be  cherished 
back  to  health  and  strength  by  her  own  tender  care, 
and  made  at  last  to  know  that  she  had  given  herself 
to  him. 

As  she  stood  in  the  bright  shaft  of  sunshine  that 
played  through  the  gently  waving  treetops,  looking 
out  through  the  screen  of  greenery,  upon  the  gleam- 
ing, shimmering  sea,  and  felt  the  balm  of  the  light 
airs  play  over  the  surface  of  her  body,  the  new-born 
love  stirred  in  her  soul.  A  feeling  of  exultation 
seized  her  that  started  the  blood  from  her  heart, 
sending  out  its  quick  glow  in  pulsing  waves,  that 
turned  roseate  her  cheeks,  her  neck,  her  breast,  with 
its  vital,  thrilling  flow.  With  a  gesture,  she  threw 
to  the  winds  the  restraint  of  generations,  flinging 
off  the  icy  garments  of  her  caste  like  a  torn  robe, 
whose  folds  no  longer  covered  but  only  clung  in 
hampering  shreds,  and  stood  forth  a  natural  woman, 
free  of  all  doubt,  quickened  by  the  knowledge  of  the 
passion  of  womanhood,  her  whole  nature  respond- 


234   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

ing  in  glorious  attune  with  the  full,  vibrant  chord 
that  love  had  struck. 

It  was  a  renaissance,  complete  and  perfect,  con- 
ceived in  the  immaculateness  of  a  maiden's  heart, 
brought  to  fruition  in  the  simple  labour  of  unselfish 
toil  and  service,  welcomed,  accepted  and  assumed, 
proudly,  in  the  broad  light  of  day. 

Straight,  fearless,  beautiful  she  stood,  shrouded 
only  in  the  gleaming  lengths  of  her  hair  that  flowed 
down  half  her  body's  length  in  a  sun-shot  skein  of 
gold.  The  sweet,  long  line  of  her  throat  and  neck, 
half  hidden  in  shining  waves,  the  firm,  snowy  globes 
of  her  breasts,  the  cool,  rounded  grace  of  her 
arms,  and  the  strong  sun-browned  limbs,  delicate, 
lithe,  swelling  into  full  curves  of  beauty,  might  have 
been  those  of  an  Aphrodite  emerging  from  her  rose 
lined  shell.  As  she  glanced  down  she  noted  for  the 
first  time  her  body's  wondrous  transformation  from 
the  angular  slimness  of  her  former  self.  The  long 
sweeping  curves  and  the  generous  amplitude  of 
rounded  outline  gave  her  a  pleasure  in  their  be- 
holding that  she  had  never  sought  before,  and  the 
sense  of  health  and  vital  strength,  both  of  body  and 
mind,  that  came  flooding  over  her,  caused  her  pulses 
to  bound  anew  with  the  hot,  leaping. springs  of  life 
within  her. 

What  mattered  it  that  she  was  here,  cut  off  from 
the  ties  of  family  and  friends ;  what  mattered  it  that 


THE   GIVING  AND  THE   TAKING     235 

she  was  alone  in  the  midst  of  the  sea,  without  the- 
pale  of  all  social  law,  living,  frankly  at  hazard,  in 
the  growing  intimacy  of  this  primordial  companion- 
ship; what  mattered  it  if  they  never  went  from  this 
place,  but  were  left  to  themselves  to  live  and  love 
and  at  the  last  die,  to  be  buried  and  mourned  by  the 
children  of  their  union?  Escape  was  forgotten,  and 
as  she  looked  back  over  the  recent  weeks,  she  real- 
ized it  had  been  a  thing  but  dimly  considered  in  her 
heart  of  hearts.  What  mattered  anything  in  the: 
world  so  long  as  she  possessed  her  love  in  peace  and 
happiness  ? 

The  exaltation  of  her  mood  slowly  passed,  and  in 
its  place  burned  a  low  full  flame,  that  overspread 
her  entire  being  with  its  genial  warmth  and 
light. 

She  dressed  quickly  and  returned  to  the  lodge,  tO' 
find  Starbuck  sitting  up,  his  head  sunk  between  his 
shoulders,  his  face  pinched  and  drawn  with  suffer- 
ing. 

"  What  is  it?  "  she  cried  in  alarm,  running  to  him- 
and  pressing  him  back  on  his  pillow. 

"  I  don't  know,"  he  answered  thickly,  moving  his 
head  from  side  to  side,  "  I  never  felt  like  this  be- 
fore." 

"  It's  the  fever  of  your  wound  and  your  broken 
bone,"  she  said,  gently  passing  a  light,  cool  hand 
over  his   forehead.     "  You  must  try  to  be  quiet. 


236   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

You  know  you  promised,  and  I  can't  leave  you  if 
you  break  your  word." 

"  I  don't  want  you  to  leave  me,"  he  muttered, 
"  ever." 

"  But  I  must  sometimes,"  she  said,  as  she 
straightened  his  pillow.  "  There  is  the  fire  to  attend 
to  and  many  things  to  be  done." 

"  And  I  have  to  lie  here  like  a  great  hulking  baby 
and  watch  you  work.  I  don't  believe  you  even  slept 
last  night,  though  you  do  look  so  fresh  this  morn- 
ing." 

"  Oh,  yes,"  she  replied,  as  she  brought  a  bowl  of 
water  to  bathe  his  face  and  redress  his  wounded 
head.  "  I  slept,"  and  to  put  an  end  to  his  talk,  she 
gave  him  a  bowl  of  poi  to  sip. 

The  drink  was  cooling  and  grateful  to  his  parched 
throat  and  hot  lips,  and  for  a  while  he  lay  back  and 
watched  her,  as  she  took  from  a  pile  a  piece  of  snow 
white  tappa  and  began  to  shape  and  stitch  a  gar- 
ment. 

"What  is  that  you  are  making?"  he  asked,  as 
he  noticed  her  glance  up  from  time  to  time  as  if 
measuring  him  with  her  eye. 

"  Something  to  make  you  more  comfortable,  I 
hope,"  she  said,  as  she  held  up  the  cloth,  which  was 
rapidly  taking  shape.  "  You  mustn't  lie  there  toss- 
ing in  your  clothes.  They're  so  hot  and  bunchy. 
You  will  feel  better  in  this." 


THE   GIVING  AND  THE   TAKING     237 

And  as  she  worked,  she  talked  to  him  quietly,  as 
a  mother  might  to  a  child,  turning  his  hot  pillow 
and  moistening  his  hair,  brushing  it  away  from  his 
face. 

Though  he  protested  at  the  cutting  of  one  trouser 
leg  that  would  not  slip  over  the  splints,  he  admitted 
the  new  comfort  the  cool  fabric  brought  him,  and 
he  wondered  at  her  as  she  was  accomplishing  his 
donning  of  her  handiwork.  It  was  an  experience 
that  he  had  not  had  since  childhood ;  the  soft  touch 
of  a  modest  woman's  gentle  hand,  doing  for  him 
its  utmost  service.  He  blessed  her  in  his  heart  for 
her  mere  presence  at  his  side,  and  he  thought  grave 
thoughts  that  always  led  to  the  day  when,  God  will- 
ing, he  might  speak  to  her  the  words  that  lay  next 
his  heart. 

Where,  he  wondered,  was  the  prudish,  fearsome, 
artificial  girl  who  had  shrunk  from  him  as  they 
fought  the  great  waves  of  the  Pacific?  Where  was 
she  whom  he  had  seen  on  board  the  Marquesas, 
aloof  even  from  her  fellow  travellers,  the  over-plus 
of  refinement,  with  dainty  chin  lifted  to  ignore  or 
to  disdain  the  fellowship  of  all  but  the  elect  of 
human  kind?  But  these  thoughts  were  too  soon 
pushed  aside  in  the  cloudy  murk  of  suffering  which 
he  could  not  understand.  He  had  been  hurt  before 
and  had  not  fallen  into  the  seeming  helplessness  that 
now  overpowered  him,  and  he  wondered  vaguely  if 


238   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

her  sympathetic  presence  might  be  a  reason  for  his 
weakness. 

As  the  day  passed,  Eleanor  noticed  his  increasing- 
discomfort,  which  she  attributed  to  the  rising  fever 
that  came  towards  evening.  He  called  constantly 
for  water,  and  muttered,  now  and  then,  a  strange 
desire  to  go  down  to  the  sea.  With  a  cool  cloth 
she  bathed  his  body  at  intervals,  and  noticed  the  re- 
lief that  came  to  him.  At  times  he  was  delirious  and 
babbled  snatches  from  the  memories  of  former  days 
that  shocked  her  deeply,  but  she  understood,  and  felt 
only  pity  for  the  man  who  had  come  to  her  from  the 
stormy  loneliness  of  a  sailor's  wild  life,  and  whom, 
despite  it  all,  she  had  found  worthy  in  her  heart. 

His  delirium  grew,  and  sometimes  he  would  try 
to  spring  up,  shouting,  till  all  her  strength  seemed 
powerless  against  him.  But  she  managed,  nearly 
always,  by  close  watching,  to  prevent  the  coming 
outbreaks,  and  at  such  times,  with  her  face  close  to 
his,  caressing  him  with  her  hands  and  with  her  voice, 
she  bore  him  back  again.  Sometimes,  after  a  period 
of  wildness,  he  had  an  interval  of  calm,  when  reason 
returned  briefly,  and  once  he  found  her  with  her 
head  against  his  breast  and  her  arms  about  him, 
sobbing  softly  and  praying  God  to  keep  him  safe. 

For  two  days  and  nights  he  lay  tossing  in  his 
fever  and  on  the  third  morning  he  awoke,  clear- 
brained  and  cool,  to  find  her  lying  beside  him,  sleep- 


THE   GIVING  AND  THE   TAKING     239 

ing  the  sleep  of  pure  exhaustion.  For  hours,  it 
seemed,  he  lay  there,  not  daring  to  stir  for  fear  she 
would  wake,  thinking  of  his  love  for  her  and  of  her 
brave  sweetness  and  the  courage  that  had  helped 
her  fight  the  battle  which  was  at  last  won.  He  knew 
that  he  had  been  ill,  but  how  ill,  or  how  long  he  had 
lain  there,  he  could  not  tell.  His  weakness  sur- 
prised and  discomfited  him  greatly,  and  that  he  had 
been  unconscious,  raving  perhaps,  added  to  his  un- 
easiness of  mind. 

All  that  she  had  done  in  his  service  he  could  not 
know,  but  he  at  least  understood  that  it  must  have 
been  that  for  which  he  could  never  thank  her.  As 
he  looked  at  her  now,  lying,  with  her  rounded  arm 
beneath  her  cheek,  her  breath  coming  sweetly  from 
between  her  parted  lips,  her  wondrous  hair  out- 
spread, and  her  soft  bosom  gently  rising  and  falling, 
a  great  wave  of  love  overwhelmed  his  whole  being, 
and  his  eyes  filled  in  spite  of  him,  as  he  took  a  long, 
bright  silken  tress  between  his  hands  and  laid  it 
against  his  lips. 

The  action,  gentle  as  it  was,  seemed  to  disturb 
her,  and  she  awoke,  sitting  up  with  a  start  and  look- 
ing at  him.  He  smiled  at  her,  and  as  she  hastily 
laid  her  hand  on  his  forehead  she  found  it  moist 
and  cool.  A  great  joy  broke  over  her  as  she  realized 
that  the  fever  was  gone  and  that  he  would  be  well 
again. 


240   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

"  Oh,  my  dear,  my  dear,"  she  cried,  bending  over 
him  and  laying  her  lips  to  his  brow,  "  thank  God 
you  have  come  back  to  me  again !  " 

In  her  joy  and  relief,  the  last  vestige  of  repression 
was  thrown  aside,  and  the  great  springs  of  warm, 
feminine,  human  love  were  undammed,  flowing  in 
their  course,  natural,  unhampered,  divine.  There 
was  no  pretence  left  in  her.  She  crooned  above  the 
man,  whispering  to  him  the  affection  of  her  heart 
that  was  wellnigh  to  bursting  with  its  long  pent 
flood.  And  he,  strangely  unsurprised,  returned  to 
her  in  kind  the  outpourings  of  a  love  that  burst 
asunder  the  forgotten  shackles  of  resolution,  and 
set  aflame  the  smouldering  fire  in  his  soul. 

They  were  two  primal  beings,  delivered  from  the 
bonds  of  the  world's  conventions,  freed  in  the  gar- 
den of  their  dreams,  trusting  utterly  in  each  other, 
giving  and  receiving,  their  souls  diffusing  and  in- 
termingling until  they  became  as  one,  bound  about 
and  sealed  in  a  perfect  integument  of  love. 

With  her  head  upon  his  arm  she  lay  long  and  hap- 
pily, caring  only  that  he  was  hers,  thinking  of  noth- 
ing save  of  the  joy  of  possession,  and  the  strange, 
wild  sense  of  life  that  had  opened  to  her  like  the 
petals  of  a  great  flower  until  she  could  look  into  its 
heart  and  see  there  the  very  essence  of  eternity. 

But,  after  a  time,  the  earth  returned  with  its  call 
of  duty,  and  she  remembered  that  her  mate  was  still 


THE   GIVING  AND   THE   TAKING     241 

the  helpless  child  of  infirmity.  Though  he  persisted 
that,  with  the  aid  of  his  crutches,  he  was  able  to  be 
about,  she  was  inflexible  in  her  determination  that 
he  remain  as  he  was,  for  she  did  not  intend  to  so 
soon  lose  the  joy  that  her  service  brought  to  her. 
The  flowers,  the  trees  and  even  the  sea  took  on  new 
and  joyous  colours  as  she  came  and  went,  busy  over 
her  household  labours.  Everything  she  did  seemed 
to  take  to  itself  a  new  meaning  and  significance, 
and  her  heart,  singing  its  song  of  rapture,  went  out 
to  all  the  world,  embracing  it  all  within  a  boundless 
sympathy. 

After  a  few  days  of  epforced  quiet,  however, 
Starbuck's  impatience  became  apparent.  His  fever 
did  not  return  and  he  quickly  gathered  his  strength. 
She  laughed,  at  first,  at  his  restlessness,  glorying  at 
the  same  time  in  his  meek  obedience  to  her  com- 
mands, but  soon  she  found  that  he  was  concealing, 
with  a  lover's  patience,  a  very  real  irksomeness  at 
his  captivity,  and  at  last  she  permitted  him  to  be 
clothed,  not  in  his  ragged  garments,  but  in  a  cos- 
tume of  her  own  designing  and  manufacture,  the 
counterpart  of  which  she  had  fashioned  for  herself. 

It  consisted  simply  of  a  tunic  of  tappa,  bleached  to 
a  dazzling  whiteness  in  the  sun,  extending  from 
shoulder  to  knee  and  bound  about  the  middle  with  a 
girdle.  To  this  was  added  a  close  undergarment  of 
the   simplest  character,   which   it  concealed.      Her 


242       THE    CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

own  tunic  fell  a  little  lower  than  his,  and  was  capa- 
ble of  being  lengthened  or  shortened  as  occasion  de- 
manded, by  pulling  its  folds  through  the  girdle, 
which  crossed  between  the  breasts  and  cinctured 
the  waist.  The  effect  was  most  becoming,  and  as 
she  first  appeared  he  was  astounded  at  the  picture 
of  simple  beauty  that  she  made.  Her  hair  was 
caught  in  a  great  knot  low  on  her  neck  and  bound 
with  fillets  of  white,  and  the  rosy  flesh  of  her  arms 
glowed  in  sculptured  perfection.  Nor  was  she  less 
pleased  than  he,  for  she  knew  her  costume's  becom- 
ingness,  though  her  only  mirror  was  a  still  pool  of 
the  stream,  which,  in  its  brown  reflection,  told  her 
that  she  had  done  well. 

Untrammelled,  lithe-limbed,  with  the  last  con- 
fining  artifices  of  civilization  cast  aside,  physically 
as  well  as  mentally,  she  moved  before  his  eyes  like 
a  free  spirit  of  youth  and  gladness.  His  joy  during 
his  period  of  inactivity  was  to  watch  her  constantly, 
in  admiration  and  wonder  at  the  fate  that  had  cast 
into  his  life  a  thing  so  sublime  and  so  unmarred  as 
his  love  for  this  woman.  Time  after  time  he  sought 
to  realize  it,  failing,  except  as  now  and  then  there 
was  given  to  him  an  all  too  fleeting  glimpse  into  the 
future,  gone  before  he  could  grasp  its  meaning. 
There  was  no  room  in  his  being  for  anything  except 
the  riot  of  the  joy  of  living. 


CHAPTER   XVI 

TREASURE 

The  long,  bright  days  came  and  went,  flying  all 
too  swiftly  for  both  of  the  lovers,  who,  preoccupied 
with  each  other  and  the  wonder  of  their  existence, 
might  have  let  ship  after  ship  cross  their  line  of 
vision  without  seeing,  almost  without  caring.  Star- 
buck  was  able  to  get  about,  clumsily,  but  well 
enough  to  relieve  Eleanor  of  many  of  her  necessary 
labours.  Somewhat  frequent  examination  of  the  leg 
showed  that  the  bones  were  knitting  well,  and  in  six 
weeks  he  was  able  to  bear  his  weight  upon  it.  The 
atrophied  muscles  soon  swelled  to  their  former 
strength,  the  limb  gained  lost  flexibility,  and,  at 
last,  nothing  remained  to  mark  the  injury.  The 
wounded  head  was  long  since  well. 

With  the  return  of  his  ability  to  work,  Starbuck 
now  began  to  turn  his  time  to  some  account.  The 
new  boat,  which  had  been  launched  as  soon  as  he 
was  fit  to  get  about,  proved  an  able  craft  under  sail, 
and  the  pair  had  passed  many  long  hours  on  the 
quiet  waters  inside  the  reef.    On  their  almost  daily 

243 


244        THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

voyages  Starbuck  had  studied  closely  the  bottom, 
which  was  nearly  everywhere  visible  through  the 
clear  water.  Without  mentioning  his  hopes  he  had 
marked  several  dark  patches,  which  he  believed 
were  pearl  oyster  beds,  and  as  he  grew  in  strength, 
he  planned  how  these  might  be  made  to  yield  up 
their  hidden  treasures. 

At  last  he  spoke  to  her  of  his  idea,  and  assuring 
her  that  he  was  himself  again,  proposed  diving  for 
the  shells.  Her  protest. at  this  was  vigorous  and 
decisive.  Not  for  all  the  pearls  of  the  Pacific  would 
she  allow  him  to  venture  again  into  the  depths, 
where  she  had  once  beheld  the  monster  that  had  so 
nearly  robbed  her  of  him;  and  so  Starbuck  was 
forced  to  take  some  other  way. 

Of  the  iron  from  the  dinghy,  which  had  so  well 
served  their  needs  both  on  land  and  sea,  he  made  a 
kind  of  dredge,  which,  though  far  less  effective  than 
one  professional  native  diver  would  have  been, 
served  to  bring  the  shells  to  the  surface.  It  was 
heavy,  cumbersome  and  hard  to  handle,  but  it  was 
the  only  means  at  hand,  and  daily  it  was  put  to  use. 
The  best  of  the  shell  beds  were  on  the  southeasterly 
end  of  the  island,  where  the  reef  was  farthest  dis- 
tant from  the  shore,  and  where  the  deepening  of  the 
water  was  much  more  gradual.  At  first  they  found 
but  little  of  value,  but  as  they  persevered,  working 
every  fine  day,  they  met  better  success,  and  by  the 


TREASURE  245 

time  of  the  next  change  of  the  monsoon,  found 
themselves  in  possession  of  more  than  a  hundred 
pearls,  of  all  sizes  and  degrees  of  perfection  in  form 
and  colour. 

Besides  these  there  was  a  great  pile  of  shell, 
which  in  itself  was  approximate  payment  for  their 
labours.  Eleanor,  familiar  with  the  prices  of  gems, 
set  on  them  what  seemed  to  him  an  enormous  value, 
but  as  a  conservative  estimate,  with  an  allowance 
for  faulty  ones,  there  was  still  left  a  goodly  sum, 
which  would  serve  them  for  some  time,  should  fate 
will  that  they  should  ever  reach  a  market. 

But  Starbuck  was  not  satisfied,  and  while  she, 
tired  of  the  monotony  of  dredging,  remained  on 
shore,  busy  with  her  household  cares,  he  kept  at  his 
toil,  and  finding  still  richer  beds,  added  gem  after 
gem  to  the  collection.  Once  he  found  a  pearl  of 
extraordinary  size,  perfect  in  shape  and  colour,  and 
this  he  carefully  put  away,  saying  nothing  of  it  to 
her. 

They  had  now  been  a  year  on  the  island,  so  she 
proclaimed  one  morning  after  a  look  at  her  calendar, 
which  was  the  time-honoured  expedient  of  the 
notched  stick.  Harmony  reigned  over  them  in  their 
simple  existence  and  their  happiness.  Nothing  oc- 
curred to  mar  their  peace,  and  though  the  red  and 
yellow  banner  on  the  hilltop  had  long  since  suc- 
cumbed to  the  weather,  and  the  white  streamer  of 


246   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

lappa  cloth,  which  had  replaced  it,  was  too  frail  to 
withstand  the  breeze  for  any  length  of  time,  they 
were  unworried  and  careless  of  rescue. 

To  Starbuck's  eye  Eleanor  had  undergone  a 
marvellous  metamorphosis,  physically  as  well  as 
mentally.  From  the  purely  conventional  type  of  the 
almost  provincial  Boston  society  young  woman,  she 
had  grown  in  mental  calibre  to  the  stature  of  an 
individual.  Her  crown  of  love  had  matured  in  her 
a  personality,  pure  as  the  morning,  loving,  tender, 
with  a  depth  of  womanly  character  that  broadened 
and  blossomed  in  the  great  flower  of  her  heart,  send- 
ing out  its  perfume  to  him,  mellowing,  yet  strength- 
ening his  whole  nature  in  its  gentle  diffusion.  And 
so,  as  if  keeping  pace  with  her  innermost  being,  he 
saw  that  her  body  too  had  taken  on  a  new  perfec- 
tion of  its  own.  He  marvelled  at  the  clearness  of 
her  eyes,  at  the  redness  of  her  lips,  at  the  strength 
and  grace  of  her  whole  figure. 

He  noted  that  her  breasts  swelled  fuller  as  they 
rose  to  meet  the  sweet  column  of  her  rounded 
throat,  and  that  her  shoulders  and  her  arms  were 
firm  and  brown  under  a  skin  like  satin.  Her  hair, 
waving  where  it  sprang  strongly  from  her  brow 
and  neck,  shone  in  an  aureole  of  bright  filaments, 
touched  to  gold  by  the  sun,  or  swept  from  its  fasten- 
ings by  the  breeze  into  a  gossamer  cloud  that 
showered    its    fragrance    wantonly    abroad.      Her 


TREASURE  247 

whole  personality  radiated  a  sense  of  health  and 
loveliness  that  held  him  ever  in  a  spell  of  wonder 
and  delight. 

Starbuck,  too,  was  a  far  different  man  from  the 
second  officer  of  the  Marquesas,  who,  a  year  before, 
had  struggled  panting  to  the  beach  from  a  shouting 
turmoil  of  wind  and  sea,  his  hand  wrapped  in  the 
streaming  hair  of  a  half-drowned  girl.  Partly  from 
necessity  of  expanding  his  resources  in  action,  and 
partly  from  his  association  with  Eleanor,  who,  both 
consciously  and  unconsciously,  had  been  his  domi- 
nating influence,  he  had  developed  a  vigour  and 
breadth  of  thought  that  raised  his  manhood  high 
above  its  former  plane. 

His  physique,  well  cast  by  nature,  had  lost  en- 
tirely the  slight  tendency  toward  heaviness  that  had 
been  gained  in  the  easy  life  of  a  watch  officer,  and 
with  daily  physical  toil  had  regained  its  youthful 
outline,  which,  combined  with  the  strength  of  full 
manhood,  made  him  a  figure  of  true  masculine 
beauty.  His  curling  hair,  of  a  tawny  yellow,  crisped 
by  the  sun,  his  muscles,  rippling  under  the  bronze 
of  his  skin,  and  the  strong  alertness  of  his  body, 
clothed  in  its  tunic  of  white,  showed  a  picture  such 
as  might  have  brought  the  admiring  glances  of  the 
thronging  women  of  ancient  Olympia.  Thanks  to 
the  Frenchman's  razor,  he  had  been  able  to  keep 
his  cheeks  and  lips   free  of  beard,  and  the  clean 


248   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

sweep  of  jaw  and  chin,  the  broad  brow  and  keen 
blue  eyes  fittingly  crowned  a  perfect  ensemble. 

As  they  were  returning  from  a  lucky  day  at  their 
pearl  fishing,  not  long  after  Starbuck's  recovery, 
he  noticed  a  certain  air  of  listlessness  in  Eleanor  that 
was  quite  unlike  her.  She  had  seemed  less  inter- 
ested than  usual  in  the  business  of  the  day,  but  it 
had  been  very  warm  and  he  laid  her  low  spirits  to 
this,  dismissing  the  matter  without  thinking  to 
seek  another  cause.  The  next  day,  when  he  was 
ready  to  start  around  the  island  to  look  for  turtles, 
she  suddenly  decided  to  stay  at  home.  She  had 
clothing  to  make  and  mend,  she  said,  and  bade  him 
go  alone. 

Wondering  a  little,  he  launched  the  boat  and  beat 
to  the  westward  around  the  point.  He  was  vaguely 
disturbed,  and  as  he  thought  more  about  it  he  re- 
called various  things  she  had  said  and  done  in  the 
last  week,  that  in  the  light  of  his  new  anxiety  seemed 
now  to  have  been  in  variance  with  her  usual  self, 
although  they  had  passed  almost  unnoticed  at  the 
time.  He  pondered  on  the  subject  until  an  almost 
unreasoning  fear  of  illness  assailed  him.  There  was 
no  reason  for  any  decline  in  health,  and  he  told  him- 
self over  and  over  that  it  was  nothing.  However  he 
was  so  distraught  that  he  almost  missed  a  fine  hawk- 
bill  that  had  crawled  out  to  sun  itself  on  the  sand, 
aild  landing,  barely  captured  the  reptile  by  quick 


TREASURE  249 

manoeuvring  before  it  slid  into  the  water.  Without 
hunting  for  others  he  opened  the  shell,  cleaned  it, 
and  laid  it  carefully  in  the  boat,  to  be  added  to  the 
already  large  collection  they  had  put  by. 

When  he  reached  home,  Eleanor  was  nowhere  to 
be  seen,  but  she  appeared  at  the  entrance  of  the 
house  as  she  heard  his  keel  grate  on  the  beach,  and 
came  down  the  sand  to  meet  him. 

"  Look  at  this,"  he  exclaimed,  trying  not  to  show 
that  he  saw  anything  wrong  with  her,  though  her 
hastily  ordered  hair  told  him  that  she  must  have 
been  lying  down. 

He  picked  up  the  tortoise  shell  as  he  spoke,  and 
showed  its  great  size  and  depth.  She  spoke  in  quiet 
appreciation  of  his  good  luck  but  enthusiasm  seemed 
to  him  to  be  lacking,  and  he  threw  the  shell  on  the 
beach  with  a  touch  of  impatience.  Noting  the  ges- 
ture, she  stooped  and  turned  the  shell  over,  ex- 
claiming with  more  interest  at  its  size,  and  he,  glad 
to  think  his  anxiety  might  be  mere  fancy,  examined 
it  with  her.  As  he  looked  at  her  unawares,  he  noted 
for  the  first  time  a  little  sad  wistfulness  about  the 
eyes,  and  the  merest  suspicion  of  an  almost  pathetic 
droop  to  the  mouth,  but  not  caring  as  yet  to  disturb 
her  with  questions,  he  laughingly  touched  the  huge 
shell  with  his  foot,  and  set  it  rocking. 

"  What  do  you  think  they  use  these  things  for  all 
through  these  islands?  " 


250   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

"  I'm  sure  I  can't  imagine.    What  ?  " 

"  Why,  cradles  for  the  babies.  They  make  the 
best  sort  of  cradles  too ;  see  how  they  rock  —  two 
ways  instead  of  one,  like  the  dingy  old  thing  I  sup- 
pose your  family  brought  over  in  the  Mayflower." 

Hoping  for  at  least  a  smile  at  his  words,  Star- 
buck  was  amazed  when  Eleanor,  instead  of  answer- 
ing, turned  a  little  from  him  and  was  silent,  her 
head  bowed.  He  went  to  her  and  laid  his  brown 
arm  about  her  shoulders,  pressing  his  face  close 
against  her  hair. 

"  What  is  it,  little  girl  ?  Tell  me.  Aren't  you 
well,  or  have  I  said  something  that  wasn't  kind  to 
you?  I  know  you  aren't  yourself.  I've  been  notic- 
ing for  a  day  or  two.     Can't  you  tell  me?  " 

For  all  answer  she  turned,  slowly,  and  buried  her 
face  in  the  hollow  of  his  great,  bare  shoulder.  And 
when  he  looked  he  saw  that  the  tears  were  gently 
flowing. 

"What  is  it,  dear?  What  have  I  done?"  he 
said,  tenderly,  raising  her  head  until  he  could  look 
into  her  eyes. 

And  there  he  half  read  his  answer. 

"  Oh,  John,  my  own  dear  husband !  "  she  said. 

Her  arms  went  around  his  neck,  and  as  he  gath- 
ered her  to  him^  close  in  a  depth  of  wonderful  ten- 
derness, she  knew  that  he  understood. 


CHAPTER   XVII 

SHANGHAIED 

And  now,  with  the  days,  Starbuck's  anxiety  grew, 
and  he  became  filled  with  a  wild  desire  to  get  away 
from  the  island.  He  was  surprised  at  the  calmness 
which  Eleanor  displayed,  and  her  apparent  lack  of 
concern.  She  had  recovered  her  usual  spirits  and 
activity,  and  tried  in  every  way  to  shield  him  from 
the  thought  that  whatever  was  to  come  bore  with 
it  aught  of  fear  to  her  or  of  reproach  for  him.  But 
though  Starbuck,  in  order  to  seem  convinced,  went 
about  his  usual  occupations  with  even  more  dili- 
gence than  before,  she  often  discovered  him  watch- 
ing her  keenly,  and  knew  that  he  was  thinking  of 
the  means  whereby  they  might  reach  some  sort  of 
civilization.  He  made  more  frequent  visits  to  the 
hill-top,  and  kept  the  streamer  constantly  flying 
from  its  staff.  Each  morning  his  gaze  was  toward 
the  sea,  and  never  did  a  day  pass  that  he  did  not 
make  a  circuit  of  the  island.  He  was  cheerful,  as 
she  was,  but  she  was  aware  of  his  constant  thought, 
and  it  made  her  the  more  deeply  tender  toward 
him.    Nothing  in  her  life  had  equalled,  in  pure  joy 

251 


252   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

and  content,  those  weeks  of  love  and  trust,  under  a 
tender  watchfulness  "that  anticipated  her  smallest 
desire,  and  fulfilled  to  the  utmost  that  sacred,  un- 
recorded vow  to  love  and  to  cherish. 

Once  he  came  upon  her  unexpectedly,  to  see  her 
swiftly  lay  away  something  upon  which  she  had 
been  at  work,  but  he  did  not  let  her  know  that  he 
had  seen,  and  went  on  his  way,  deeply  disturbed. 
The  idea  of  leaving  the  island  in  the  boat,  he  knew, 
was  ever  a  source  of  terror  to  her,  and  this  he  had 
of  late  almost  abandoned.  If  he  could  only  know 
their  geographical  position,  and  granted  it  was  not 
too  far  out  of  the  paths  of  trade,  if  there  was 
great  need,  it  might  be  possible  for  him  to  make 
some  inhabited  island  alone,  and  return  in  a  reason- 
able space  of  time.  But  this  plan  was  unthinkable 
unless  the  coming  months  should  pass  without  the 
coming  of  a  ship,  and  thus  render  something  of  the 
sort  imperative.  To  this  end  he  attempted,  even, 
to  fashion  a  sextant,  but  with  his  rough  tools,  the 
instrument  he  finally  finished  was  so  inaccurate  as 
to  be  of  little  use.  He  thought  of  the  wireless  tele- 
graph, but  he  was  as  ignorant  of  its  operation  as  of 
its  construction,  and  even  were  the  raw  materials  to 
be  found,  he  lacked  the  necessary  knowledge  for 
their  use.  Try  as  he  would,  he  could  think  of  no 
practicable  way  out,  and  so,  at  last,  sat  down  to  a 
vigil  of  never  ending  watchfulness. 


SHANGHAIED  253 

One  night,  after  a  day  when  anxiety  had  been 
written  in  every  line  of  his  face,  unconcealed  from 
her  even  in  his  constant  effort  at  dissembling,  she 
heard  almost  a  sob  escape  him  as  he  lay  beside  her. 
Quickly,  with  a  sympathy  that  was  almost  motherly 
in  its  gentleness,  she  laid  her  arm  across  his  breast 
and  sought  to  comfort  him,  but  he  openly  reproached 
himself,  bitterly  blaming  the  selfishness  of  his  love, 
until,  closing  his  lips,  she  bade  him  hush,  and  re- 
fused to  hear  him. 

It  was  just  a  year  from  the  day  showed  by  a 
deep  notch  in  her  Crusoe  calendar,  that  she  recog- 
nized with  a  s-hudder  as  marking  the  death  of  Au- 
bert.  They  had  risen  early  and  he  was  preparing 
to  go  to  the  summit  with  a  new  tappa  cloth  pennant. 
As  he  laced  the  thongs  of  his  moccasins,  he  said : 

"  I  feel  as  if  something  might  happen  to-day.  I 
wonder  why  that  is." 

A  little  shocked,  she  turned  the  remark  off  with 
a  light  reply,  but  all  the  morning  she  found  herself 
going  back  to  that  scene  of  violence  on  the  beach. 
She  saw  again  the  form  of  the  man  she  loved,  and 
that  other  form,  the  two  at  grapples  in  a  struggle 
as  of  wild  beasts,  swaying  to  and  fro,  gasping  out 
oaths  between  set  teeth,  locked  in  an  embrace  of 
death,  as  one,  finally,  with  a  great  effort  gained  the 
mastery,  and  the  other  rolled  from  off  his  knee, 
limp  and  motionless.     She  saw  again  the  heaving 


254   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

chest  of  the  victor  as  he  looked  on  what  he  had 
done ;  the  great  arms,  that  hung  loosely  at  his  sides, 
and  the  swelling  muscles  of  his  torso;  the  skin, 
marked  with  ugly  red  splotches,  and  the  blood  trick- 
ling in  a  little  stream  from  his  fingers,  as  it  ran 
crimson  from  the  wound  in  the  shoulder,  where 
the  teeth  of  a  human  animal  had  met. 

She  covered  her  eyes  in  horror  at  the  picture  of 
it,  and  tried  to  set  about  her  work  as  usual.  But 
something  haunted  her.  His  words  had  left  fear 
in  the  air  and  she  felt  a  nameless  dread  of  that 
which  she  could  not  grasp.  She  wished  he  would 
return. 

'All  at  once  she  was  aware  of  a  crashing  in  the 
undergrowth  and  almost  immediately  Starbuck  burst 
upon  her,  his  garments  in  tatters,  but  the  light  of 
great  joy  shining  in  his  eyes. 

"It's  come!"  he  shouted.  "Can't  you  see  it? 
A  schooner,  off  there  to  the  westward.  Come,"  he 
cried,  catching  her  and  dragging  her  down  the 
beach.  "  We're  saved.  Oh,  thank  God,  you  will  be 
safe!" 

Out  past  the  western  head  of  the  island  where 
he  pointed,  at  last  she  could  see  the  white  gleam  of 
a  sail,  far  away  in  the  distance  and  headed  to  pass 
several  miles  to  leeward  of  the  island.  Even  her 
eyes  shone  as  she  shared  his  excitement. 

"  Quick,"  he  commanded.     "  We  must  be  quick. 


SHANGHAIED  266 

They  may  not  have  seen  our  signal  and  we  shall 
have  to  go  out  to  them." 

He  dragged  the  boat  to  the  water's  edge,  and 
hurriedly  made  it  ready  for  launching,  but  when  he 
turned,  expecting  her  to  leap  aboard,  he  found  her 
standing  quite  still,  lost  in  thought. 

"  Come,"  he  called,  with  haste  in  his  tone. 
"  Come,  we  shall  be  too  late !  " 

"  Wait !  "  she  said ;  "  are  you  going  to  take  me 
out  to  that  ship,  knowing  nothing  of  the  people  on 
board?  There  might  be  almost  any  sort  of  men; 
and  it  might  be  far  worse  than  staying  here." 

She  looked  again  at  the  schooner,  now  well  in 
sight,  and  seemingly  such  a  small,  irresponsible 
kind  of  craft,  that  her  native  intuition  increased  her 
distrust.  Turning  her  eyes  from  it  back  to  him,  she 
said  again : 

"  Think !  What  if  that  vessel  should  be  bound 
to  some  distant  f^ort !  Suppose  it  should  be  crowded 
with  islanders  or  the  beachcombing  riff-raff  that 
infest  these  seas  —  such  men  as  you  have  told  me 
of!  Would  you  feel  satisfied  for  me  to  go  among 
them?  Why  not  go  out  alone  and  hail  the  ship  and 
tell  its  captain  your  story.  Then  he  will  take  our 
message  for  help  to  some  port  and  they  will  send 
Tjs  relief.  There  is  no  hurry.  We  are  comfortable 
here,  and  happy,  and  if  no  one  should  come  for 
months  it  would  make  no  difference.    Then,  besides, 


256   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

think  of  the  value  we  have  here,  stored  away. 
Would  you  have  all  that  fall  into  the  hands  of 
thieves?  No,  John,  that  would  not  do.  Don't  you 
see,  dear?  " 

As  she  spoke  he  considered.  The  pearls  they  had 
collected  at  such  pains  suddenly  leaped  into  their 
real  value.  From  being  merely  baubles  that  had 
amused  her  and  him  while  they  were  being-  gath- 
ered and  husbanded,  he  now  saw  them  as  practi- 
cally his  only  resource  in  the  world  of  civilization, 
and  his  only  means  of  taking  proper  care  of  her. 
All  at  once  this  treasure  grew  to  an  importance  that 
overshadowed  all  else  save  one  thing.  The  new 
view  sobered  him,  and  he  saw  that  he  had  been 
thoughtless. 

"  Eleanor,  you  have  more  sense  than  I,"  he  said; 
"  you  are  right,  dear.  But  we  cannot  let  this  chance 
go  by.  I  must  get  out  there  and  see  what  they  are. 
If  the  schooner  isn't  decent  for  you,  I  will  tell  them 
to  send  help  and  come  ashore.  While  I  am  gone, 
pack  the  pearls  in  a  bundle  of  cloth  and  be  ready." 

He  kissed  her  hurriedly,  before  she  had  time  to 
speak  further,  and,  shoving  off  his  boat,  headed 
straight  out  through  the  break  in  the  reef,  before 
the  wind,  pointing  well  to  the  east  to  intercept  the 
schooner.  He  did  not  like  the  way  she  seemed  to  be 
hurrying  by  the  island,  for,  he  thought,  her  people 
must  have  seen  his  signal  flag  at  that  distance,  and 


SHANGHAIED  257 

the  sense  of  excitement  coming  to  him  again,  he 
worked  his  craft  to  get  every  inch  possible  from 
her.  Once  or  twice  he  turned,  and  looked  long  at 
the  little  figure  in  white  upon  the  beach,  and  waved 
his  hand  to  it,  while  she,  as  long  as  he  could  see, 
waved  in  answer  with  a  flowering  branch  of  jas- 
mine. 

Settling  down  to  the  chase,  Starbuck  held  his 
boat  steady  over  the  mounting  seas,  for  the  wind 
was  fresh  and  he  still  had  a  mile  or  more  to  go. 
The  schooner  was  holding  stiffly  to  her  course,  but 
he  did  not  fear  that  she  would  outfoot  him  and  pass 
the  spot  where  he  had  planned  to  meet  her.  It 
seemed  strange  that  the  watch  on  deck  did  not  sight 
him,  but  he  had  little  time  to  reflect  on  this  for  the 
seas  were  now  taking  his  entire  attention.  At  last 
he  was  near  enough  to  make  out  men  on  the  vessel's 
deck,  and  suddenly  he  saw  her  come  heading  up 
into  the  wind  and  drop  a  jib  as  her  sails  shook,  slat- 
ting, in  the  stiff  breeze.  In  five  minutes  he  hailed 
her  and  received  an  invitation  to  come  aboard. 
Rounding  to  in  the  lee  of  her  stern,  he  took  a  line 
that  was  passed  him  and  made  his  skiff  fast  as  he 
climbed  over  the  taffrail. 

At  the  wheel  was  a  tall,  lean  man  of  about  fifty, 
with  moustache  and  chin  beard,  discoloured  at  one 
side  by  the  reek  of  a  clay  pipe,  that  seemed  riveted 
between  his  teeth.     His  breath  smelled  strongly  of 


258   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

bad  gin,  and  he  spat  over  the  rail  as  Starbuck  came 
aboard.  Starbuck  eyed  him  narrowly  and  with 
disfavour.  Looking  down  the  schooner's  deck  he 
saw  its  untidy  length,  littered  with  bits  of  pearl 
shell,  as  if  a  cargo  had  just  been  taken  aboard  and 
the  vessel  had  not  yet  been  cleaned.  On  the  star- 
board side,  amidships,  a  huge  negro  leaned,  with 
his  arms  on  the  rail,  and  as  he  turned  his  head  to 
look  aft,  Starbuck  saw  the  red  gash  of  a  recent  cut 
across  his  cheek,  severing  the  top  of  one  ear.  For- 
ward were  two  other  men,  evidently  Kanakas,  but 
they  were  half  hidden  by  the  foremast  and  he  could 
not  see  them  plainly. 

"  Well,  Mister,  what  kin  we  do  for  ye?  "  was  the 
question  of  the  man  at  the  wheel,  as  he  looked  at 
Starbuck  and  his  queer  raiment,  the  upper  half 
torn  to  strips  by  his  rush  from  the  volcano's  sum- 
mit. 

"Where  are  you  bound?"  asked  Starbuck  in 
return. 

"  Bound  ?  Bound  for  Hell,  I  reckon,  if  we  don't 
get  way  on  her  out  of  here,"  he  replied,  with  a 
glance  to  the  westward  through  the  glass  he  car- 
ried. 

"  Are  you  the  skipper?  "  queried  Starbuck  again, 
not  liking  the  man's  reply. 

"  Naw,  I'm  the  mate.  The  old  man's  below. 
Want  to  see  him  ?  " 


SHANGHAIED  259 

"  Yes,"  said  Starbuck. 

"  Flat!  "  bellowed  the  man. 

The  great  negro  slowly  divorced  himself  from 
the  rail  and  came  aft,  slouching  along  the  deck,  his 
great  hands  swinging  in  front  of  him  like  those  of 
a  gorilla. 

"  Here's  a  gent  wants  to  see  the  skipper.  Take 
him  down." 

The  negro  evinced  no  curiosity  whatever,  but 
silently  led  the  way  through  the  companion  and 
down  a  short  ladder.  Without  knocking  he  pushed 
open  a  cabin  door  and  motioned  for  Starbuck  to 
enter.  As  he  stepped  in,  a  crushing  blow  struck 
him  from  behind  and  he  staggered  forward.  Al- 
most stunned,  he  fell  against  the  edge  of  a  bunk, 
and  turning,  had  barely  time  to  dodge  another 
smashing  impact  from  the  negro's  fist,  which,  miss- 
ing him  by  a  hair,  brought  up  against  the  side  board 
of  the  berth,  splitting  it  with  a  crash.  Starbuck 
gathered  himself  and  sprang  straight  at  the  black 
throat,  clutching  the  oily  skin  in  his  left  fist  and 
sending  a  smashing  right  against  the  man's  slack- 
hanging  jaw.  With  the  blow,  the  negro  reeled 
against  the  door,  but  recovering  almost  instantly, 
he  shook  himself,  and  catching  Starbuck  about  the 
waist,  lifted  him  high  and  sent  him  hurtling  across 
the  small  cabin  to  the  deck.  The  door  opened  and 
the  man  with  the  tobacco-beard  stuck  his  head  in. 


260   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

"  Havin'  trouble  gittin'  acquainted  ?  "  he  asked, 
with  a  grin. 

But  the  negro  did  not  reply.  He  stooped  to  meet 
Starbuck's  bull-like  rush,  and  with  a  great  left  fist 
caught  him  just  below  the  breast  bone.  Starbuck 
dropped  like  a  log. 

"I  see,"  nodded  the  other;  "no  trouble;  no 
trouble  at  all.  Just  clap  a  stopper  on  him  till  he 
gets  kind  o'  useter  our  gentle  ways." 

The  black,  with  a  sailor's  deftness,  surprising  in 
such  bulk,  tied  Starbuck  hand  and  foot  and  tossed 
him  into  the  lower  berth  to  recover  at  his  leisure, 
and  locking  the  door  after  him  made  his  way  on 
deck,  where  the  two  Kanakas  had  already  gotten 
up  the  jib.  The  schooner  paid  off  quickly  and, 
sweeping  around  on  her  heel,  was  off  again  to  the 
eastward. 

It  might  have  been  one  minute  or  thirty,  so  far 
as  Starbuck  ever  knew,  that  he  lay  there  uncon- 
scious. His  first  feeling,  as  his  senses  slowly  shaped 
themselves  out  of  the  blur  of  his  brain,  was  one  of 
pain  at  the  cords  that  bound  his  wrists  beneath  his 
back,  and  he  turned  on  one  side  to  escape  the  pres- 
sure of  his  body  on  his  cramped  arms.  His  next, 
■was  a  white-hot  blast  of  rage  that  swept  him  into  a 
tremble  from  head  to  foot.  Bound  and  trussed  like 
a  fowl  for  the  oven,  he  turned  and  writhed  against 
his  bonds,  straining  until  the  thin  marline  cut  deep 


SHANGHAIED  261 

anto  his  flesh.  But  it  was  of  no  use,  and  for  a' 
while  he  lay  still,  listening  to  the  gurgle  of  the 
water  under  the  schooner's  counter  as  she  heeled 
to  the  breeze. 

For  what  reason  he  had  thus  been  shanghaied  in 
the  middle  of  the  Pacific,  he  did  not  know,  unless 
either  he  or  his  boat  was  needed  by  the  skipper, 
whom  he  now  knew  must  be  the  man  at  the  wheel. 
As  four  made  an  ample  crew  to  work  the  craft, 
he  decided  that  his  boat  was  the  reason,  and  remem- 
bered that  the  schooner  carried  no  skiff  at  her  taff- 
rail.  But  whatever  the  cause  for  his  captivity,  it 
was  useless  to  attempt  to  escape  now.  For  all  he 
knew,  he  might,  even  at  this  time,  be  leagues  away 
from  the  island,  and  to  navigate  his  small  boat 
through  the  dangers  of  a  return  voyage,  without 
food  or  water,  even  supposing  he  could  make  away 
with  it,  was  foolhardy  to  think  of.  He  must  accept 
his  present  mishap  in  good  part,  and  at  the  first 
port  or  the  first  inhabited  island  that  they  sighted, 
make  his  dash,  if  he  was  forced  to  swim  for  it. 

The  cabin  in  which  he  lay  reminded  Starbuck  of 
his  old  coasting  days  when  little  more  than  a  boy. 
The  little  box  of  a  place  was  just  large  enough  to 
hold  the  two  bunks,  one  above  the  other,  and  a 
transom  locker,  on  which  lay  a  heap  of  dirty  cloth- 
ing. His  own  garment,  in  rags  before  he  started 
from  the  shore,  had  been  torn  to  shreds  in  the  strug- 


262   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

gle  with  the  giant  black,  and  he  lay  practically  naked 
except  for  a  breech  cloth.  Surveying,  as  well  as  he 
could,  the  sides  of  the  room,  he  found  the  bulkheads 
bare  and  greasy  except  for  a  vividly  coloured  litho- 
graph of  a  lady  in  full  tights  which  was  nailed  to 
the  door.  A  few  names,  and  what  he  guessed  to  be 
lines  of  obscene  verse,  were  scribbled  beneath  it.  A 
mirror  that  looked  as  if  it  might  be  of  tin,  was 
fastened  over  the  locker,  and  this  was  all. 

Light  filtered  in  through  the  grimy  skylight, 
which  was  so  caked  with  smoke  and  dirt  as  to  render 
it  almost  opaque.  Through  it  he  could  see  nothing, 
but  hearing  a  step  overhead,  he  listened  in  an  effort 
to  catch  some  word  that  might  give  him  a  clue  to 
the  vessel,  her  business,  and  the  identity  of  his  cap- 
tors. He  could  hear  the  murmur  of  a  low  voice,  but 
the  words  were  indistinguishable. 

Seeing  nothing  further  to  occupy  his  observation, 
he  lay  still,  and  his  thoughts  flashed  back  to  Eleanor 
as  he  had  seen  her,  standing  alone  on  the  beach, 
waving  him  a  last  good-bye.  A  last  good-bye  ?  He 
tore  at  his  bonds  again,  wildly  muttering  in  inco-' 
herent  mouthings  of  rage  and  helplessness. 


CHAPTER    XVIII 

ALONE 

From  the  moment  when  Starbuck  had  pushed  off 
in  pursuit  of  the  schooner,  Eleanor,  with  grave  mis- 
givings, had  stood  watching  until  she  saw  him  reach 
the  vessel  and  climb  aboard.  Without  a  glass  it  was 
impossible  to  distinguish  one  figure  from  another, 
though  her  eyes,  now  accustomed  to  long  distance 
vision,  were  far  keener  than  they  had  ever  been  be- 
fore. Standing  where  he  left  her,  she  waited  to 
see  the  schooner  head  in  toward  the  island,  and 
when  the  jib  went  up  and  the  vessel  paid  off,  her 
heart  gave  a  great  bound  of  joy.  But  as  she  looked, 
the  craft's  head  swung  pointing  outward  on  its 
former  course.  Still  supposing  this  to  be  some 
manceuvre,  made  necessary  by  the  direction  of  the 
wind,  she  looked  to  see  the  vessel  soon  come  about. 
But  slowly  she  realized  that  it  was  getting  farther 
and  farther  away,  and  it  dawned  in  her  brain,  at 
last,  that  it  was  leaving  her.  Scarcely  able  to  credit 
her  senses,  she  watched,  with  muscles  and  nerves 
drawn  tense,  eyes  staring  and  thoughts  awhirl.  It 
was  true!    There  could  no  longer  be  a  doubt.    The 

263 


264   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

schooner,  headed  to  the  eastward,  was  rapidly  grow- 
ing smaller  in  the  distance.  It  was  some  trick,  she 
thought.  Perhaps  the  captain  was  in  a  hurry  to 
complete  a  voyage  to  some  nearby  island,  and  would 
quickly  return  when  his  urgent  mission  was  com- 
pleted. But  why,  in  that  case,  had  Starbuck  not 
oome  back  to  her  in  his  own  boat  to  wait  for  the 
vessel's  return? 

At  last,  when  only  the  glimmer  of  the  schooner's 
sails  showed  in  the  sun  above  the  blue  expanse,  she 
uttered  a  wild  cry  and  sank  to  her  knees  in  the  sand, 
rocking  backward  and  forward  in  the  grief  of  deser- 
tion, a  fear  born  of  despair  and  a  numb  sense  of 
desolation.  For  a  long  time  she  sat,  her  face  buried 
in  her  hands,  sobbing  bitterly.  When  she  looked 
up  again,  the  schooner  was  out  of  sight,  and  she  was 
utterly  alone. 

Slowly,  painfully,  she  rose  to  her  feet  and  started 
toward  the  lodge.  As  she  did  so  she  noticed  a  white 
garment  that  she  had  washed,  fluttering  on  a  bush 
beside  the  door.  It  was  one  of  his,  one  that  she 
had  made  for  him  with  her  own  hands.  She  me- 
chanically felt  of  the  cloth  to  see  if  it  was  dry,  and 
at  its  touch  the  overwhelming  sense  of  the  loss  of 
him,  her  lover,  her  husband,  swept  over  her  like  a 
blinding  flash,  leaving  her  as  in  the  blackness  of 
night,  stricken  dumb  with  the  direness  of  her 
•calamity. 


ALONE  265 

All  that  day  she  sat  near  her  door,  with  her  head 
leaning  against  the  wall  of  her  house,  mute,  tearless 
after  the  first  wild  outburst,  smitten  down  by  the 
intensity  of  her  suffering.  Of  the  harm  that  might 
befall  her,  she  did  not  think.  It  was  the  thought 
that  he  was  gone,  gone  after  entering  her  life  to 
fill  it  to  overflowing  with  happiness  and  content; 
gone  when  she  would  have  denied  herself  anything 
the  world  had  to  offer  to  keep  him ;  gone  when  she 
should  most  need  his  companionship  and  his  love. 

That  he  might  have  chosen  to  leave  her  was  a 
thought  that  neither  then  nor  ever  afterward  gained 
even  a  glimmer  of  consciousness.  That  he  had  been 
carried  away  against  his  will,  fighting  fiercely  until 
overpowered  and  beaten  down,  she  knew,  and  her 
trust  in  him  was  never  lessened  by  the  lightest 
shadow  of  a  doubt. 

She  wondered  at  times  what  would  have  hap- 
pened had  she  accompanied  him.  Would  the  people 
of  the  vessel  have  taken  her  also,  or  did  they,  for 
some  strange  reason,  need  only  the  man?  She  had 
heard  Starbuck  tell  tales  of  the  shanghaing  of  sea- 
men in  many  ports,  and  she  decided  that  this  must 
be  such  a  case,  where  a  captain,  finding  himself 
short-handed  during  a  voyage,  had  gone  to  desperate 
lengths  to  man  his  ship.  And  in  this  explanation 
she  found  a  gleam  of  hope.  The  smallness  of  the 
vessel,  she  now  saw,  probably  precluded  any  ex- 


266   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

tended  voyage,  and  it  seemed  quite  likely  that  it  was 
one  of  the  trading  schooners  she  had  heard  so  much 
of,  cruising  from  island  to  island  or  from  group  to 
group  through  the  archipelagoes  of  the  Western 
Pacific,  buying  pearl  shell,  copra  and  the  other 
native  products.  Whither  the  vessel  might  be 
bound,  she  had  not  the  slightest  notion,  though 
Starbuck,  in  explaining  their  supposed  position  on 
the  map,  had  told  her  that  in  all  probability  the  next 
group  to  the  eastward  would  be  the  Ralick  chain  of 
the  Marshalls.  In  this  direction  the  vessel  had 
headed,  and  as  she  remembered  that  the  distance  was 
comparatively  not  great,  she  gained  the  courage  to 
believe  that  should  Starbuck  be  able  to  make  his  es- 
cape in  the  first  port  touched  at  or  even  sighted,  he 
would  return  to  her  soon  with  a  rescue  for  them 
both. 

With  this  surmise  she  went  no  farther  into  an 
analysis  of  the  situation,  and  as  the  thought  grew 
through  desire,  it  seemed  to  her  almost  a  certainty 
that  this  scheme  of  events  would  come  to  pass. 

Cheered  immeasurably  above  her  former  abysmal 
despair,  clinging  fast  to  her  belief,  and  building  on 
it  even  the  phantom  dreams  of  highest  hope,  she 
gradually  became  calm  again,  and  set  about  the  daily 
tasks  imposed  by  actual  existence.  The  idea  that 
Starbuck  had  been  killed  came  now  and  then  to  her 
mind,  but  she  resolutely  put  it  away  from  her  as 


ALONE  267 

beyond  belief.  They  had  grown  so  close,  so  thor- 
oughly alike  in  thought  and  the  very  essence  of  be- 
ing, that  she  felt  intuitively  that  if  any  physical 
harm  came  to  her  mate,  she  could  not  miss  the  im- 
pinging knowledge  of  it,  even  across  the  waste  of 
sea.  Though  she  would  have  scorned  the  imputa- 
tion of  occultism,  she  nevertheless  felt  certain  that 
a  personality  so  attuned  to  hers  would  send  some 
message  of  its  fate. 

As  the  days  dragged  interminably  by,  Eleanor, 
for  the  first  time,  really  had  an  opportunity  to  re- 
flect on  her  position.  With  the  glamour,  if  glamour 
it  was,  of  Starbuck's  vital  presence  gone,  her 
thoug^hts  drifted  back  to  the  life  she  had  left, 
and  to  the  people  she  had  called  her  friends.  She 
was  surprised  to  find  that  it  was  difficult  for  her  to 
pick  up  again  the  thread  where  she  had  dropped  it, 
so  sudden  and  so  complete  had  been  the  change  of 
environment.  Her  life  on  the  island  had  been  so- 
entirely  distinct  from  her  existence  in  the  world  in 
which  she  had  always  moved,  that  it  was  with  a 
sense  of  remoteness  that  she  recalled  the  former 
routine  and  scheme  of  her  existence.  She  felt  that 
the  last  year  was  the  only  one  of  her  life  she  had 
really  lived ;  that  her  eyes  had  been  opened  to  see,  at 
last,  a  real  world,  and  that  the  things  she  had  once 
considered  worth  while  were  the  merest  shadows  of 
reality.     She  remembered  the  quiet,  sheltered  days 


268   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

with  the  good  people  who  had  reared  her  from  child- 
hood; their  simple,  well  ordered  lives,  in  which  the 
slightest  untoward  circumstance  was  magnified  into 
a  small  disaster,  and  with  whom  the  smallest  devia- 
tion from  the  tenets  of  enwrapping  convention  was 
looked  upon  with  pained  surprise. 

And  her  promise  to  wed,  made  partly  for  the  sake 
of  her  duty  to  her  career,  partly  because  of  the 
comforts  and  position  it  would  bring.  Under  other 
circumstances  she  might  have  felt  a  pang  of  con- 
science that  this  promise  had  been  so  lightly  broken, 
but  this  was  not  the  first  time  she  had  given  it  con- 
sideration. She  did  not  love  that  amiable  young 
man,  Mr.  Ellery  Oldsworth.  She  had  never  loved 
him.  They  had  been  thrown  together  from  their 
earliest  youth,  and  in  becoming  engaged  to  each 
other  they  had  done  only  what  every  one  had  ex- 
pected of  them.  That  such  an  engagement  must 
necessarily  have  been  terminated  by  the  mere  fact 
of  her  isolation  here  with  another  man,  she  could  not 
doubt.  In  all  probability  her  fiance  had  already  fin- 
ished his  period  of  mourning  and  even  now  might 
be  attached  elsewhere,  perhaps  betrothed,  for  the 
news  of  the  Marquesas  disaster  must  have  been 
flashed  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  She  thought,  too, 
of  her  father,  and  of  that  kind  old  foster-parent, 
who  would  be  still  grieving  for  her  as  for  his  own 
child,  and  her  heart  went  out  to  him  in  pity  for  his 


ALONE  269 

declining  years,  which  must  be  spent  without  the 
lifelong  helpmate  she  had  called  Mother. 

That  she  was  only  a  memory  to  a  host  of  people, 
who  now  rarely  spoke  her  name  or  recalled  her  at 
all  with  more  than  a  passing  phrase,  she  was  certain. 
How,  she  wondered,  would  they  receive  her,  if  she 
should  return  to  them  to  take  up  the  old  existence, 
the  round  of  little  gaieties,  and  social  functions,  the 
teas,  the  dinners,  the  dances,  the  opera;  all  the 
poor  amusements  of  a  vapid  flock,  bored  to  extinc- 
tion with  themselves  and  each  other,  turning  ever  to 
new  extravagances  in  search  of  relief;  not  living, 
but  shamming  through  an  existence,  as  futile  and 
absurd  in  its  senseless  round  as  they  themselves. 

With  clear  eyes  she  saw  herself  as  she  had  been 
a  year  ago,  with  her  prim  ideals,  her  foolish,  faddish 
cynicism,  mocking  at  the  things  that  were  worth 
while,  and  her  narrow,  sordid  outlook,  hemmed  in 
by  the  fear  of  adverse  opinion,  defending  itself 
vainly  with  haughtiness  and  mannerism.  How  con- 
temptible she  must  have  been  in  the  eyes  of  such  a 
man  as  Starbuck,  a  man  who  knew  life  as  it  was, 
who  had  come  up  from  the  workaday  world,  through 
its  grime  and  its  dust  of  toil,  and  who  had  emerged, 
calm  and  unsoiled  by  its  contact,  a  clean  and  honour- 
able soul,  who  had  been  tried  in  the  fire  of  a  hundred 
circumstances,  who  had  risen  victor  in  a  hundred 
battles. 


270   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

She  tried  to  compare  him  with  Mr.  Ellery  Olds- 
worth,  her  fiance  de  convenance,  and  she  almost 
laughed  aloud  as  she  fancied  him  in  Starbuck's  place. 
Would  he,  she  wondered,  have  been  able  to  save  her 
as  had  this  man,  first  from  a  sinking  ship,  then  from 
the  sea  itself,  and  finally,  would  he  have  taken  the 
life  of  a  man  with  his  bare  hands  in  her  defence? 
Given  the  physical  ability  for  these  things,  would 
his  cheap  cynicism  have  dropped  from  him,  and 
would  he  have  become  the  living,  vital  force  that 
could  turn  the  greatest  desolation  into  a  veritable 
Eden  of  content  and  love?  She  smiled  again,  and 
cynically  too,  but  it  was  the  cynicism  of  truth  and 
not  that  of  mockery. 

And  finally  she  thought  of  the  future,  and  what 
it  held,  in  the  never  lessening  faith  that  her  mate 
would  return  to  claim  her.  She  saw  nothing  in  it 
that  was  sinister,  nothing  that  was  unwelcome. 
She  knew  Starbuck's  ambition  to  quit  the  sea  and 
follow  the  higher  branch  of  his  profession  as  man- 
ager, and  at  last  owner  of  great  carriers  of  the 
world's  wares.  She  knew  his  dream  of  a  house  flag 
that  should  be  flown  around  the  world,  and  she  did 
not  doubt  that  one  day  it  would  be  realized.  He  had 
explained  over  and  over  again  his  theory,  that  on 
the  completion  of  the  great  waterway  across  the 
isthmus,  the  capital  that  heretofore  had  found  a 
natural   outlet   in   the  development  of   a  nation's 


ALONE  271 

highways,  would  turn  to  new  fields  of  activity  and 
at  last  rehabilitate  the  maritime  importance  of 
America. 

His  information  was  so  wide,  and  so  well  ac- 
quired, that  his  knowledge  had  astonished  her  with 
its  depth.  Far  from  being  the  careless  sailor  that 
she  at  first  thought  him,  he  had  displayed  an  insight 
into  great  economic  conditions  that  had  made  her 
feel  ashamed  that  she,  with  her  supposed  advan- 
tages, should  be  so  completely  at  loss  when  called 
upon  for  her  opinions.  The  man,  she  had  found, 
was  a  student  and  a  thinker,  who,  delving  here  and 
there  at  each  hard  won  opportunity,  had  gathered 
his  knowledge  at  the  cost  of  effort  and  under  the 
most  adverse  conditions.  In  her  heart  she  knew  him 
for  a  true  man  who  loved  her,  and  who  would  rather 
die  than  that  she  should  suflFer  pain  or  grief.  He 
would  come  for  her,  she  knew,  and  with  him  she 
would  be  safe  —  for  always. 


CHAPTER    XIX 


THE   ESCAPE 


Of  all  the  thoughts  that  raced  their  course 
through  Starbuck's  brain  as  he  lay  bound  in  the 
schooner's  cabin,  one  stood  out  high  above  all  the 
rest  and  never  left  him.  Whatever  should  befall, 
he  must  not  risk  his  life  in  war  upon  his  captors, 
until  he  was  able  to  communicate  with  some  one  to 
whom  he  could  entrust  the  knowledge  of  Eleanor's 
plight.  It  would  be  far  better  to  submit  to  these 
men  than  to  struggle  against  them,  and,  in  the  end, 
perhaps  die  at  their  hands.  The  part  he  must  play- 
was  that  of  willing  recruit  in  their  adventure,  what- 
ever it  was,  trusting  to  his  own  wits  to  find  a  way- 
out. 

As  he  lay  thinking  quietly,  he  planned,  in  general, 
a  method  of  procedure.  First,  he  desired,  above  all 
things,  to  know  the  position  of  the  island  he  had 
left.  He  knew  the  direction  in  which  the  wind  was 
blowing,  and  from  the  slight  heel  of  the  schooner  to 
port,  he  was  sure  she  was  running  free,  following  the 
original  course  to  the  eastward.  If  he  were  only  on 
deck  he  could  judge  her  speed,  and  from  a  glance 

272 


THE    ESCAPE  273 

at  the  skipper's  reckoning  at  noon  that  day,  it  would 
be  a  simple  matter  to  place  the  island  nearly  enough 
in  latitude  and  longitude.  But  it  might  be  past  noon, 
and  in  that  case  he  would  have  to  wait,  noting  care- 
fully any  change  in  the  course,  and  make  his  cal- 
culations from  the  observation  of  the  next  day. 

Busy  with  this  idea,  he  was  interrupted  by  a  step 
in  the  passageway  outside,  and  the  next  instant  the 
door  opened  a  few  inches  and  the  hooked  nose  and 
dirty  beard  of  the  skipper  showed  itself.  Seeing 
Starbuck  still  bound  and  quiet,  the  man  stepped  in, 
surveying  his  prisoner  with  a  dog-toothed  grin, 
showing  the  dental  mechanism  which  held  the  pipe 
to  be  a  groove,  deeply  worn  in  the  only  two  remain- 
ing teeth  that  met. 

"  So !  "  he  said,  wagging  his  head ;  "  ye're  com- 
fable,  I  see;  takin'  yer  ease,  wonderin',  I  reckon, 
what  I  want  with  ye.  Well,  I  don't  blame  ye  none 
fer  that.  It  ain't  much  though,  and  if  ye'll  turn  to 
like  a  man,  we'll  have  no  trouble.  Ye  see,"  he  went 
on,  as  Starbuck  was  about  to  speak,  "  it  was  oncom- 
mon  lucky  of  us  to  find  an  able  cuss  sech  as  you 
sojerin'  around  on  that  there  island.  Oh,  we  seen 
yer  signal  right  enough,  and  we  seen  the  other  feller 
on  the  beach,  but  we  didn't  need  only  one,  and  as 
you  was  so  considerin'  of  our  time  as  to  come  off 
and  board  us,  we  thought  it  more  kind-like  fer  you 
not  to  have  no  sad  partin'  words  but  come  along  just 


274   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

as  ye  were.  If  ye  give  no  trouble  ye'll  be  treated 
right  and  maybe  be  put  sommat  to  the  good  before 
ye're  done.  Now,  wha'd'ye  say?  That's  fair. rea- 
soning ye'll  admit.  Ye  get  yere  carcass  salved  off 
the  beach  and  put  where  ye  can  get  a  ship  and  pay 
to  boot.    How's  that?" 

"  Fair  enough.  I  accept,"  said  Starbuck,  im- 
mensely relieved  at  the  attitude  the  man  was  taking. 

"  Now,  for  God's  sake,  undo  these  lashings.  The 
blood's  all  out  of  my  hands  and  feet.  That  damned 
nigger  did  a  good  turn,  I'll  admit  that." 

Without  more  words,  but  with  some  caution,  the 
skipper  soon  had  Starbuck  free.  He  sat  up  on  the 
edge  of  the  bunk,  slowly  rubbing  the  feeling  back 
into  his  numbed  extremities. 

"  The  nigger  won't  bear  ye  no  ill  will  for  his 
broke  jaw,  if  you  won't,"  said  the  skipper  with  a 
grin.  "  You  must  ha'  got  a  reel  man's  punch  in  that 
fist  o'  yourn.  Busted  his  jawbone  like  the  boom  had 
hit  him.  But  it's  all  right,  he  ain't  got  no  hard 
feelin's.  Flat  ain't.  An'  now  I'll  put  ye  in  my  watch 
an'  we'll  go  on  deck.  Ye  can  hand,  reef  an'  steer, 
I  reckon." 

And  turning,  he  showed  the  butt  of  a  pistol  at  his 
hip  as  he  climbed  the  short  ladder  to  the  quarter- 
deck, where  the  huge  black  stood  at  the  wheel,  his 
face  tied  in  a  dirty  bandage.  As  Starbuck  came 
through  the  companion,  close  on  the  skipper's  heels, 


THE    ESCAPE  275 

the  giant  gazed  at  him,  unconcerned,  and  even 
grinned  with  his  thick  lips,  though  he  did  not  speak, 
and  Starbuck  now  saw  the  reason  for  the  name  of 
"  Flat."  His  nose,  either  from  birth  or  through 
mishap,  had  been  pushed  almost  level  with  his 
cheeks,  leaving  only  the  flare  of  the  wide  nostrils  to 
show  where  it  should  have  been.  This  deformity, 
combined  with  his  unusual  length  of  arms,  and  man- 
ner of  swinging  them  before  him  when  he  moved, 
increased  the  remarkable  resemblance  to  a  gorilla 
that  Starbuck  had  noticed  when  he  came  aboard. 

As  the  cool  breeze  from  the  sea  struck  him,  Star- 
buck  involuntarily  glanced  down  at  himself,  and  the 
skipper,  following  his  eye,  gave  a  short  laugh  and 
said  : 

"  Go,  for  Gawd  sake,  an'  put  on  them  pants  and 
shirt  on  the  locker  below.  It  ain't  decent  for  a  white 
man  to  go  around  like  you  do.  I'm  that  shocked  I 
can't  look  at  ye,"  and  with  another  chuckle  he  waved 
Starbuck  off  the  deck. 

The  things  were  greasy  and  ill  smelling  but  they 
were  wearable,  and,  putting  them  on,  Starbuck  re- 
turned to  find  the  skipper  taking  the  wheel  from 
Flat.  The  negro  at  once  slouched  forward  and  dis- 
appeared below.  It  was  evidently  long  after  noon 
and  Starbuck  was  disappointed  at  having  to  wait 
until  the  next  day  for  his  attempt  to  get  the  position 
of  the  island.     The  skipper  called  to  one  of  the 


276   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

Kanakas,  who  appeared  from  the  galley  with  a  dish 
of  smoking  salt  beef,  some  biscuits,  and  a  pannikin 
of  something  that  passed  for  tea,  and  from  these 
Starbuck  made  a  meal,  though  his  years  of  palatable 
diet  caused  him  to  choke  over  it  more  than  once. 
Deeming  it  unwise  to  ask  questions,  he  stood  his 
watch  on  deck  without  comment.  The  skipper  had 
not  vouchsafed  his  own  name,  and  that  of  the 
schooner  having  been  painted  out,  both  bow  and 
stern,  Starbuck  made  no  effort  to  ascertain  either, 
and  cheerfully  turning  to,  worked  with  one  of  the 
Kanakas  washing  down  the  decks,  coiling  the  hal- 
yards, making  the  schooner  probably  more  ship- 
shape than  that  craft  of  varied  fortune  was  able  to 
recall.  The  skipper  noted  Starbuck' s  handiness  with 
silent  satisfaction. 

He  held  her  to  her  course  throughout  the  watch, 
and  when  the  negro  was  called  to  take  his  turn  at 
the  wheel  again,  Starbuck  heard  the  instructions  to 
keep  her  as  she  was. 

"Ye  kin  take  that  cabin  if  ye  want,"  said  the 
skipper  as  he  went  below.  "  I  won't  make  ye  bunk 
forrad  with  the  Kanakas." 

At  the  next  call  of  the  watch  Starbuck  was  given 
the  wheel,  and  the  course,  east  by  south,  a  half  south, 
and  the  breeze  freshening  as  the  night  advanced,  the 
schooner  quickened  her  pace  and  boomed  along  with 
every  cloth  drawing,  sending  showers  of  spray  over 


THE    ESCAPE  277 

her  low  bows  as  she  dipped  and  rose.  The  skipper 
either  walked  back  and  forth  on  the  weather  side  of 
the  deck,  smoking  his  everlasting  pipe,  or  lolled  over 
the  companion  and  talked  to  Starbuck.  But  from 
all  his  conversation,  which  mostly  took  the  form  of 
anecdotes  of  his  own  voyages  in  younger  days,  Star- 
buck  could  draw  no  hint  of  the  purpose  or  destina- 
tion of  the  present  cruise.  From  the  smell,  he  knew 
that  the  schooner  held  a  cargo  of  pearl  shell,  but 
whence  it  came  and  whither  bound,  he  had  no  idea 
beyond  the  fact  that  in  all  probability  it  had  been 
either  filched  from  the  preserves  of  some  German 
trader  in  the  Carolines,  or  had  been  pirated  outright 
from  a  luckless  native  craft.  That  it  had  been 
gained  in  some  illicit  way,  Starbuck  was  sure,  from 
the  silence  regarding  it,  and  from  the  newly  cut  gash 
in  Flat's  cheek,  he  guessed  that  it  had  not  been  won 
without  a  fight. 

But  the  business  of  this  craft  did  not  concern  him. 
For  the  present,  his  only  aim  was  to  reach  a  port 
where  trading  vessels  stopped,  or  where  a  mission- 
ary was  established;  anywhere  that  he  could  tell  his 
story  and  find  some  means  of  returning. 

Things  went  quietly  enough  aboard  the  schooner. 
The  skipper  was  evidently  engrossed  only  in  the 
business  at  hand  and  the  negro  remained  peaceable. 
The  other  two  did  not  count,  apparently,  one  way  or 
another.     It  was  the  next  forenoon,  when  called 


278   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

from  his  watch  below,  that  Starbuck  went  on  deck 
to  find  the  skipper  taking  his  noon  observation  with 
a  battered  sextant.  Starbuck,  with  a  glance  over- 
side, judged  the  schooner  was  footing,  as  she  had 
been  since  he  had  come  aboard,  at  the  rate  of  per- 
haps eight  knots,  and  as  the  man  finished  with  his 
instrument  and  turned  to  go  below,  he  caught  the 
interest  in  Starbuck's  face. 

"  Maybe  you  air  good  at  figgers,  which  I  ain't," 
he  said.    "  Come  below  and  look  'em  over." 

Overjoyed,  Starbuck  followed  and  soon  was  at 
work  over  a  smooched  and  greasy  British  Admiralty 
chart  that  had  been  pricked  by  the  records  of  more 
than  one  former  voyage. 

"  I  ain't  no  navigator,"  said  the  man,  looking  with 
some  envy  at  Starbuck's  neat  figures  as  he  worked 
out  the  schooner's  position.  "  I  ain't  never  had  no 
chanct  rightly  to  learn,  but  I  most  always  come  out 
summers  near  to  where  I'm  headin'." 

Starbuck  worked  out  his  variations  with  care  and 
found  that  his  guess  as  to  the  latitude  and  longitude 
had  been  approximately  correct.  He  noted  the  posi- 
tion of  the  vessel  at  noon,  and  figuring  an  easterly 
run  of  twenty-eight  hours,  he  placed  the  island,  he 
was  certain,  closely  enough  at  least  to  give  a  land-' 
fall. 

Starbuck  had  noted  the  entire  absence  of  curiosity 
on  the  skipper's  part  as  to  how  he  had  been  left 


THE    ESCAPE  279 

marooned,  and  had  volunteered  no  information,  but 
now  his  neatly  done  calculations  evidently  aroused 
some  admiration  in  the  man,  for  he  said : 

"  Well,  now,  that's  pretty  smart  for  a  beach- 
comber like  you.  Say,  I  ain't  never  been  given  none 
to  askin'  questions  o'  strangers,  'cause  I  don't  want 
none  asked  o'  me,  but  I  kind  o'  taken  a  likin'  to  you 
and  I'd  like  to  know,  if  it's  all  the  same,  who  ye  be 
and  how  ye  come  on  that  there  volcano  island." 

Starbuck  hesitated,  but,  after  all,  he  could  see 
little  harm  in  satisfying  this  mild  inquisitiveness, 
and  he  told  him  of  the  wreck  of  the  Marquesas,  his 
name  and  position,  omitting  more  than  a  passing 
mention  of  his  companion,  allowing  the  man  to  be- 
lieve still  that  it  was  one  of  the  crew.  The  skipper 
had  not  heard  of  the  disaster,  and  in  his  interest 
concerning  it  he  paid  little  attention  to  the  history 
of  its  survivors. 

That  day,  during  Starbuck's  afternoon  watch  on 
deck,  they  sighted,  a  fKDint  to  the  south  of  the 
schooner's  course,  the  low  landfall  of  an  island, 
which  they  raised  slowly  out  of  the  sea  until  it  ap- 
peared as  a  thin  circlet  of  emerald  in  a  setting  of 
lapis  lazuli.  It  was  a  typical  atoll  of  the  Pacific, 
merely  a  ring  of  coral  reef  raised  a  few  feet  above 
the  water,  surrounding  and  forming  a  shallow 
lagoon,  with  a  narrow  opening  to  the  northeast. 
The  verdure  extended  almost  entirely  around  the 


280   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

circle,  and  consisted  of  waving  cocoa-palms  and  the 
undergrowth  about  their  bases.  As  the  schooner 
neared  the  atoll,  the  beach  was  plainly  made  out,  but 
no  habitations  were  visible.  Taking  the  wheel,  the 
skipper  intently  scrutinized  every  foot  of  shore  as 
he  made  an  entire  circuit  of  the  island,  throwing 
the  schooner  up  into  the  wind  off  the  entrance,  which 
was  not  wide  enough  to  permit  the  vessel  to  pass 
through  into  the  lagoon.  From  the  fore  shrouds 
the  great  black  man  also  was  watching.  Neither 
he  nor  the  skipper  spoke,  but  they  seemed  mutually 
satisfied  with  what  they  saw,  for  the  anchor  was  let 
go  and  the  jibs  came  down  with  a  run. 

It  was  late,  but  Starbuck  noted  preparations  that 
meant  going  ashore.  Since  the  sighting  of  land 
he  had  been  almost  ignored,  and  the  skipper's  plans 
were  not  communicated  to  him,  but  his  boat  was 
dropped  over  the  taffrail,  and  with  one  of  the 
Kanakas  at  the  oars  and  the  skipper  in  the  stern, 
it  made  the  passage  of  the  reef  and  was  rowed  rap- 
idly to  the  beach,  where,  landing,  both  men  dis- 
appeared in  the  trees. 

Starbuck,  curious  at  this  manoeuvre,  was  tempted 
to  question  the  negro,  but  the  man  remained  in  the 
shrouds,  watching,  and  paid  no  attention  whatever 
to  his  hail.  Thinking  it  better,  under  the  circum- 
stances, Starbuck  gave  up  further  attempts,  and  loll- 
ing aft,  waited  for  the  boat's  return.     It  was  per- 


THE    ESCAPE  281 

haps  an  hour  before  it  shot  out  from  the  shore, 
and  by  the  time  the  skipper  was  again  on  board, 
the  sun  was  sinking.  With  a  careful  eye  to  the 
weather,  he  decided  to  remain  at  anchor,  and  sails 
were  lowered  and  put  in  stops  without  furling,  ready 
to  be  set  should  the  wind  rise. 

It  was  not  until  morning  of  the  next  day  that 
Starbuck  discovered  the  meaning  of  the  business 
which  had  so  puzzled  him.  At  daybreak  the  hatches 
were  taken  off  and  the  foul  stench  of  half-decayed 
pearl  shell  rose  up  into  the  clean  air  of  the  sea.  The 
black  and  one  of  the  Kanakas  were  sent  below,  and 
with  a  tackle,  the  coir  bags  filled  with  shells  were 
hoisted  out  and  loaded  into  the  boat.  As  each  little 
cargo  was  successfully  piloted  through  the  reef  to 
the  beach,  it  was  dragged  up  among  the  trees  and 
dumped,  the  bags  being  returned  for  more.  Star- 
buck's  part  in  this  work  was  that  of  a  donkey  en- 
gine, and  with  his  shoulders  harnessed  to  the  whip 
tackle,  he  made  endless  trips  back  and  forth  across 
the  deck  in  response  to  the  cries  of  the  men  as  they 
loaded  the  sacks  below.  In  the  afternoon  he  took 
the  Kanaka's  place  in  the  boat,  and  was  glad  of  the 
change,  for  the  hoist  was  heavy  work. 

The  entire  proceeding  was  now  clear.  The  cargo 
of  shell  plainly  had  been  filched  from  some  island 
far  to  the  west,  and  it  was  now  being  cached  on  this 
uninhabited  atoll  until  it  could  be  taken  off  by  some 


282   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

trading  captain,  to  whom  it  was  later  to  be  revealed. 
Starbuck  now  saw  that  the  lack  of  a  boat  had  been 
a  serious  matter,  and  as  he  had  previously  surmised, 
this  was  the  principal  reason  for  his  own  kidnap- 
ping. Without  his  skiff,  the  cargo  could  not  have 
been  landed.  The  skipper  vouchsafed  no  informa- 
tion, however,  beyond  directions  as  to  the  hiding  of 
the  shell,  and  the  work  proceeded  with  intense  ac- 
tivity. For  three  days  and  a  part  of  the  nights  all 
hands  worked  steadily,  transferring  sack  after  sack 
from  the  hold  to  the  beach  and  adding  their  con- 
tents to  the  growing  heap  behind  the  screen  of 
vegetation.  At  last  it  was  all  out,  the  hold  was 
cleaned,  and  sail  made  on  the  schooner. 

And  now  anxiety  again  began  to  tear  at  Star- 
buck's  heart.  Thus  far  he  had  been  content  to  let 
things  shape  their  own  course,  because  he  was  help- 
less to  prevent,  but  since  the  prime  object  of  the 
vessel's  voyage  had  evidently  been  accomplished, 
he  saw  no  reason  for  his  further  detention. 

As  the  schooner  headed  out  of  the  atoll's  lee  he 
followed  the  skipper  below. 

"  Skipper,  what's  your  next  port  of  call  ?  "  he 
asked,  with  no  preliminaries  and  in  the  confident 
tone  of  one  who  expects  a  free  answer. 

The  man  turned  and  surveyed  him. 

"  It  strikes  me,"  he  said,  tilting  his  pipe  at  a  new 
angle,  "  that  ye  know  just  about  as  much  now  as  I 


THE    ESCAPE  283 

want  yer  to.  No,  my  bucko,  you'll  have  to  wait  till 
we  git  there,  and  maybe  then  some.  Ever  sence  I 
let  ye  figger  out  my  position  I  ben  sorry,  but  you 
got  knowledge  now  that  I  can't  afford  to  have  leak, 
and  until  this  little  job's  finished  you'll  have  to  bide 
in  the  schooner,  I  reckon.  Sorry,  mate,"  he  added, 
"  but  business  ain't  what  it  was,  and  I  ain't  takin' 
no  chances.  You  won't  be  sorry,  though,  for  I've 
put  ye  down  for  a  lay  that'll  keep  ye  from  working 
yer  passage  to  'Frisco.  So  jest  you  be  easy  an'  com- 
fable,  an'  in  a  month  at  most  I'll  give  ye  a  proper 
discharge,  with  wages." 

A  flush  of  anger  swept  Starbuck  from  head  to 
foot,  and  he  felt  a  desire  to  reach  out  and  take  that 
(skinny  throat  between  his  two  hands,  but  he  re- 
strained himself  as  he  thought  of  Eleanor  and  her 
distress.  He  turned  away,  seemingly  satisfied,  but 
it  was  a  poor  dissimulation. 

He  watched  the  course  narrowly  as  opportunity 
was  given,  and  found  that  it  was  changed  from 
time  to  time  as  other  atolls  were  sighted,  with  an 
evident  desire  to  avoid  them.  For  several  days  the 
general  direction  had  been  southeast,  but,  as  he  had 
not  again  had  a  chance  to  look  at  the  skipper's 
chart,  he  was  not  familiar  with  the  vessel's  position. 
He  still  stood  watch  with  the  man  as  before,  but  he 
had  been  unable  to  draw  the  least  information  from 
him. 


284   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

He  thought  again  of  approaching  the  black,  whose 
general  attitude  seemed  friendly,  and  one  day,  while 
the  skipper  was  below,  he  walked  forward  to  where 
the  negro  lounged  by  the  rail.  He  had  seen  little 
of  the  man,  and  as  he  addressed  a  simple  question, 
he  remembered  that  he  had  never  heard  him  speak, 
though  he  attributed  his  silence  to  his  broken  jaw. 
But  now,  to  his  surprise,  the  great,  apelike  creature 
removed  his  bandage,  and  opening  his  mouth, 
pointed  to  it,  shaking  his  head.  To  his  horror 
Starbuck  saw  that  his  tongue  was  entirely  gone. 

A  chuckle  from  the  direction  of  the  quarter-deck 
made  him  turn,  to  find  the  skipper  standing  by  the 
wheel,  watching  him. 

"  Information  ain't  plenty  with  that  there  nig- 
ger," he  called.  "  You  can  remember  easy  all  he'll 
tell  ye,"  and  he  burst  into  a  cackle  that  set  his  pipe 
wagging  in  his  dirty  beard. 

"Pretty,  ain't  it?"  he  went  on  as  Starbuck 
walked  aft.  "  That  boy  is  the  most  useful  tiling  I 
got.  Belonged  to  one  o'  them  native  princes  in  the 
Malay  Islands,  before  he  run  away.  I  picked  him 
up  in  Formosa.  Had  his  talkin'  machine  cut  out 
when  they  made  him  one  o'  them  dumb  eunuchs  the 
sultans  keep  for  servants,  I  reckon,  though  I  ain't 
never  got  the  information  straight;  but  he  was  al- 
mighty tickled  to  come  along  o'  me  and  make  an 
honest  livin'." 


THE    ESCAPE  285 

It  now  became  evident  that  the  fresh  water  on 
the  schooner  was  running  low,  and  that  to  replenish 
the  supply  she  would  have  to  make  some  port  before 
many  days.  The  skipper,  however,  displayed  no 
anxiety,  a  sign  which  told  Starbuck  that  he  prob- 
ably had  his  plans  already  laid  for  filling  the  butts. 
But  this  might  also  mean  another  uninhabited 
island,  or  one  where  only  natives  comprised  the 
population,  neither  of  which  suited  his  purpose. 

It  was  late  in  the  afternoon  of  a  day  that  had 
been  notable  for  its  heat  and  lack  of  breeze,  when 
Starbuck,  at  the  wheel,  with  the  skipper  below 
making  love  to  a  square-faced  gin  bottle,  as  he  had 
often  done  of  late,  sighted  to  the  eastward,  a  long, 
thin  trail  of  smoke,  low  across  the  sky.  It  was  a 
steamer,  and  though  the  ship  was  as  yet  hull  down 
below  the  horizon,  the  sight  of  that  hazy,  gray  streak 
set  Starbuck's  brain  on  fire  with  wild  hope.  If  he 
could  only  come  within  hail  before  the  skipper  re- 
turned on  deck;  if  he  could  only  keep  any  one  else 
from  reporting  the  ship's  presence! 

The  chance  of  getting  his  boat  over  the  taffrail 
into  the  water  was  too  dangerous,  and  at  this  dis- 
tance the  steamer  would  pass  him  unnoticed  even 
should  he  succeed.  His  only  chance  lay  in  working 
near  enough  to  hail  and  then  swim  for  it.  There 
was  little  wind,  but  this  was  fortunate,  for  the 
schooner,  with  a  rap  full,  would  have  crossed  the 


286   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

steamer's  course  too  soon.  So  Starbuck  drifted, 
trying  to  think  of  some  sure  means  of  accomplish- 
ing his  escape.  The  black  was  taking  his  watch  be- 
low and  it  was  still  a  full  two  hours  before  he  would 
have  to  be  called.  The  Kanaka  cook  was  busy  about 
the  galley,  from  which  the  view  to  leeward  was  cut 
off  by  the  foresail.  The  other  native  had  turned 
in  with  the  negro,  thus  leaving  Starbuck  alone  on 
the  deck.  Below,  in  his  cabin,  Starbuck  could  see 
the  skipper  through  the  open  skylight,  sitting  on  his 
bunk,  smoking,  and  now  and  then  taking  a  sip  from 
a  china  mug  which  held  a  decoction  of  gin  and 
water.  Now  and  then  the  man  dozed  in  the  heat, 
only  to  waken  from  time  to  time,  and  fill  his  mug 
again.  With  anxious  eyes  Starbuck  watched  him, 
noting  with  eagerness,  as  the  bottle  was  emptied 
and  a  new  one  broached,  until  he  marvelled  at  the 
immensity  of  the  man's  capacity. 

The  steamer's  smoke  was  plainer  now,  and  the 
tops  of  her  masts  and  funnel  had  come  into  view. 
In  half  an  hour  the  hull  was  visible,  and  to  Star- 
buck's  surprise  he  noted  that  it  was  gray  instead  of 
the  black  he  had  expected.  Feverish  with  the  strain, 
he  watched  it  grow  nearer  and  nearer,  but  the  char- 
acter of  the  ship  puzzled  him.  His  first  thought,  on 
seeing  her  colour,  had  been  of  a  vessel  of  the  United 
States  navy,  but  as  he  made  out  her  build  he  knew 
this  was  no  warship.    The  minutes  seemed  each  an 


THE    ESCAPE  287 

hour  as  she  crawled  toward  him.  Without  a  change 
of  course  she  would  pass  astern,  not  more  than  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  away,  and  Starbuck  saw  that  if  he 
could  wait,  his  best  chance  was  to  wave  his  shirt 
as  a  signal  and  then  take  to  the  water.  Once  the 
skipper  started  up  as  if  to  come  on  deck,  and  Star- 
buck's  fists  closed,  and  the  veins  in  his  neck  swelled, 
as  he  resolved  to  silence  him  if  it  should  mean  blood 
on  his  hands.  But  as  the  man  rose  his  foot  struck 
a  partly  filled  gin  bottle,  overturning  it,  and  he 
dropped  heavily  back  on  the  bunk  to  save  the  con- 
tents. Starbuck  could  hear  him  curse  through  the 
open  skylight. 

Saved  for  the  time  being,  he  knew  that  at  any 
moment  the  skipper  might  appear,  and  the  steamer 
was  still  beyond  swimming  distance.  As  she  neared, 
Starbuck  wondered  more  and  more  what  she  could 
be.  That  she  was  not  a  cargo  boat,  nor  a  warship, 
nor  a  yacht,  he  was  sure,  yet  her  lines  suggested  the 
latter  more  than  anything  else.  But  it  mattered 
little  if  he  could  only  reach  her,  and  his  great  fear 
now  became  that  she  would  pass  too  far  astern  to 
see  him.  He  could  let  the  schooner's  head  fall  off 
but  little  without  jibing,  and  this  would  have  utterly 
exposed  him  by  rousing  the  two  men  below,  as  well 
as  the  skipper.  But  the  wind  counted  for  little  now, 
and  the  steamer  was  rapidly  coming  up.  He  could 
see  two  figures  on  the  bridge  and  an  awning  over 


288   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

her  quarter-deck.  She  showed  no  flag  and  appar- 
ently was  not  intending  to  speak. 

As  he  watched  and  waited,  the  cook,  coming  from 
the  galley  with  a  bucket  of  ashes,  suddenly  saw,  and 
set  up  a  shrill  yell.  The  skipper,  hearing  it,  stum- 
bled to  his  feet  and  groped  uncertainly  to  the  ladder, 
muttering  curses  as  he  came.  Starbuck  met  him  at 
the  companion,  and  with  his  boot  caught  him  just 
under  the  chin.  With  a  savage  oath  the  man  fell 
backward,  but  Starbuck  had  no  time  to  pay  him 
further  attention.  The  giant  black  mute,  roused  by 
the  cook's  hail,  was  just  springing  from  the  fore- 
castle with  the  Kanaka,  and  as  the  black  muzzle  of 
a  revolver  in  the  skipper's  hand  appeared  above  the 
deck,  Starbuck  turned  and  dove  from  the  rail,  sink- 
ing deep  and  swimming  hard,  under  the  surface. 

Keeping  down  until  his  lungs  cracked,  he  was 
forced  to  breathe  at  last,  but  as  his  head  showed, 
two  shots  spat  out  and  he  sank  again. 

In  the  brief  glance  he  had  taken  he  saw  that  the 
schooner  had  been  swung  into  the  wind,  and  the 
skipper  and  the  negro,  each  armed,  were  waiting  for 
him. 

When  next  he  rose  he  was  considerably  farther 
away,  but  another  bullet  struck  the  water  close  by  his 
head  and  he  saw  that  the  schooner's  boat  was  al- 
ready being  lowered.  Though  he  had  reason  to  fear 
the  skipper's  marksmanship,  he  remained  this  time 


THE    ESCAPE  289 

on  the  surface,  and  looked  toward  the  steamer, 
which  was  now  but  a  short  distance  to  leeward  of 
him.  He  raised  his  voice  in  a  shout  as  he  saw  men 
busy  at  the  davits,  and  turning  toward  the  schooner 
at  another  shot,  to  his  joy  he  saw  the  small  boat 
capsize  as  the  drunken  skipper  fell  into  her.  But  a 
louder  crack  now  smote  his  ear.  The  black  had 
procured  a  rifle  from  the  cabin,  and  standing  erect, 
was  shooting  at  him  as  fast  as  he  could  work  the 
magazine. 

He  dove  once  more  and  swam  just  under  the  sur- 
face. As  he  raised  his  head  again,  he  saw  the 
steamer's  boat  in  the  water  and  gave  a  shout.  The 
next  instant,  like  a  blow  from  a  powerful  fist,  a 
bullet  struck  him  in  the  shoulder  and  his  left  arm 
became  powerless.  He  heard  the  chuck  of  another 
as  it  struck  the  water,  and  still  another,  but  after 
that  the  shooting  stopped,  the  rifle  empty. 

With  his  left  arm  trailing,  his  wounded  shoulder 
leaving  a  streak  of  blood  in  the  water,  he  swam 
toward  the  approaching  ship's  boat,  and  when  at 
last  he  heard  the  sound  of  its  oars  and  the  encour- 
aging shout  of  the  men,  he  suddenly  grew  weak  and 
sick.  He  manfully  put  out  his  last  strength,  grit- 
ting his  teeth  in  his  growing  pain,  and  just  as  he  felt 
a  clutching  hand  grip  his  waistband,  the  waters 
roared  in  his  ears  and  the  world  went  out  in  a  buzz- 
ing flash  of  fire. 


CHAPTER    XX 

BY   DEAD   RECKONING 

Starbuck's  first  sensation  upon  awakening  was 
the  touch  of  cool  linen,  and  he  opened  his  eyes  to 
look  into  a  bearded,  kindly  face  that  was  bending 
over  the  swinging  cot  in  which  he  lay. 

"  Good,"  said  a  hearty  voice,  "  \ye'll  have  you  in 
shape  in  no  time.     Much  pain  ?  " 

Starbuck  nodded  and  glanced  about  the  cool,  bare 
stateroom  inquiringly. 

"  Don't  worry,"  said  the  bearded  man.  "  You're 
in  good  hands  and  your  late  friends  are  nearly  hull 
down  by  this  time.  This  is  the  steamer  Darwin,  of 
the  American  Intercollegiate  Biological  Association, 
outward  bound  on  a  three  years'  cruise,  Captain 
Bent  commanding.  I  am  Doctor  Ames.  Drink  this 
and  go  to  sleep.  You  can  talk  all  you  want  to  later, 
but  we  don't  want  any  inflammation  in  that  shoul- 
der." 

The  doctor  held  a  glass  and  raised  his  head  while 
he  sipped. 

"  Can  I  see  the  captain?  I  must  see  him,"  said 
290 


BY    DEAD    RECKONING  291 

Starbuck,  as  he  lay  back.  "  It's  of  the  greatest  im- 
portance that  I  speak  to  him  now,  at  once." 

The  doctor  shook  his  head,  doubtfully. 

"  You'd  much  better  be  quiet  now,"  he  said,  "  but, 
to  relieve  your  mind,  I'll  answer  your  most  press- 
ing questions." 

"  Where  are  you  bound  ?  "  asked  Starbuck. 

"  Well,  we're  bound  for  New  York,  I  suppose, 
eventually,  but  our  next  port  will  be  Ponape  in  the 
Eastern  Carolines,"  was  the  reply. 

Great  relief  overspread  Starbuck's  face  as  he 
heard  the  words,  for  he  knew  that  the  island  named 
was  not  more  than  two  hundred  miles  from  the  dot 
of  coral-ringed  earth  that  held  his  heart. 

"  I  can  see  that  Ponape  meant  good  news  to 
you,"  said  the  doctor,  beaming  on  him,  "  and  you'd 
better  rest  for  the  present  on  that.  I'll  be  back  to 
look  at  you  in  a  while." 

He  left  him,  and  Starbuck,  finding  himself  more 
weary  than  he  thought,  fell  into  a  doze,  comforted 
with  the  knowledge  that  he  was  being  carried  to  a 
point,  from  which  reaching  his  island  should  be  a 
matter  of  little  difficulty. 

The  surgeon  came  and  went  at  intervals,  but  it 
was  not  until  the  next  morning  that  he  would  allow 
Starbuck  to  converse  at  length.  No  signs  of  fever 
appeared.  The  bullet  had  glanced  in  the  water,  and 
striking    the    shoulder-blade    at    an    angle,    passed 


292   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

through  the  deltoid  muscle  without  shattering  the 
bone.  Though  the  wound  was  stiff  and  sore,  it  was 
clean,  and  was  evidently  due  to  heal  by  first  inten- 
tion. With  this  favourable  prognosis  the  doctor 
consented  to  hear  Starbuck's  story,  and  he  listened 
with  huge  interest  as  the  wounded  man  related, 
without  detail,  the  bare  sequence  of  events  which 
had  brought  him  to  his  present  circumstances. 
Eleanor  he  did  not  mention  by  name,  but  to  his  sur- 
prise the  doctor  guessed  it.  The  boats  from  the 
Marquesas  had  been  picked  up  two  days  after  the 
sinking  of  the  steamer  by  an  east-bound  government 
troop  ship,  and  carried  to  Honolulu,  where  news  of 
the  disaster  had  been  cabled  round  the  world,  with 
the  names  of  the  dead  and  missing;  those  of  Star- 
buck,  Aubert,  Eleanor  Channing  and  her  aunt,  Mrs. 
Hartley,  being  included  among  the  latter. 

During  the  day  he  received  a  call  from  Captain 
Bent  and  Professor  Storrs,  the  chief  of  the  expedi- 
tion, to  whom  he  repeated  his  tale,  and  after  a  con- 
sultation the  latter  came  to  him  and  told  him  that 
he  had  ordered  the  captain,  after  leaving  Ponape,  to 
make  the  run  to  the  position  indicated  by  Starbuck's 
rough  calculations. 

Starbuck's  heart  filled  to  overflowing  with  grate- 
fulness as  he  heard  the  words  that  meant  life  to  the 
woman  he  loved,  and  he  seized  the  professor's  hand 
in  a  grip  that  made  that  gentleman  wince. 


BY    DEAD    RECKONING  293 

"  Thank  you,  sir,"  he  said,  his  voice  husky  with 
feeling.  "  Thank  you.  I  hope  that  some  day  I 
shall  be  in  a  position  to  repay  your  goodness." 

"  Never  mind  that,"  returned  the  other,  "  human- 
ity could  do  no  less  and  it  won't  be  far  out  of  our 
way.  We're  bound  to  Manila  first,  for  coal,  and 
supplies  that  have  been  shipped  from  San  Fran- 
cisco, and  we  could  leave  you  there  unless  some- 
thing better  turns  up." 

The  next  day  Starbuck  sat  up  and  Professor 
Storrs  brought  his  wife  to  see  him.  She  had  heard 
the  story  and  even  knew  Eleanor  slightly,  through 
Mrs.  Hartley,  at  whose  tragic  death  she  had  been 
greatly  shocked.  Ponape  was  sighted  on  the  fourth 
day  and  Starbuck  was  allowed  to  get  on  deck  in 
a  comfortable  chair,  while  the  other  members  of 
the  expedition  gathered  to  congratulate  him  on  his 
escape  and  to  hear  the  story  at  first  hand. 

"  I  know  that  old  dirty  scoundrel,"  said  the  chief 
engineer.  "  His  name  is  Zeke  Lumbert.  He  would 
steal  the  copper  off  a  ship's  bottom  for  a  bottle  of 
gin,  and  as  for  piracy  on  the  high  seas,  it's  his  trade. 
There's  been  a  German  gunboat  after  him  through 
the  Carolines  these  two  years,  but  so  far  he's  been 
able  to  dodge.  You  are  well  out  of  that  mess,  Mr. 
Starbuck." 

The  Darwin  had  lain  at  Ponape,  or  Ascension 
Island,  as  it  is  known,  for  two  days,  and  Professor 


294        THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

Storrs  was  still  planning  another  visit  to  the  great, 
mysterious  ruins  in  the  interior.  Impatient  at  being 
forced  to  wait,  Starbuck  paced  the  deck  or  talked  of 
Eleanor  to  the  professor's  wife,  whose  sympathy 
was  the  greatest  boon  to  him  in  his  anxiety.  He 
had  not  hinted  even  to  her  of  his  love  for  the  woman 
to  whom  his  life  was  pledged,  but  with  a  woman's 
intuition  she  had  guessed  at  least  part  of  the  truth. 
She  saw  his  anxiety  written  in  his  face,  and  while 
she  did  not  ask  his  confidence,  she  knew  that  what- 
ever stamp  the  world  might  set  upon  the  love  of  this 
man  and  woman,  here,  at  last,  was  the  true  romance 
of  which  every  woman  has  dreamed,  and  with  a 
large  understanding  of  humanity,  she  read  between 
the  lines  the  real  story  of  the  welding  together  of 
two  souls  beyond  the  power  of  man  to  break 
asunder.  Her  heart  told  her  that  here  was  a  true 
man,  not  a  youth  of  thoughtless  passion  or  fleeting 
constancy,  but  a  strong,  purposeful  character,  open, 
free  and  fearless,  of  whom  any  woman  might  be 
proud. 

As  she  listened  to  the  fragments  of  the  tale  Star- 
buck  told  her,  she  pieced  together  the  happenings 
that  had  brought  the  two  closer  and  closer,  until 
her  eyes  filled  with  tears  as  she  thought  of  the  girl, 
torn  from  her  lover's  arms  in  the  tragedy  of  desola- 
tion. The  picture  of  the  little  figure  in  white,  stand- 
ing on  the  beach,  as  the  vessel  holding  him  prisoner 


BY    DEAD    RECKONING  295 

turned  its  prow  and  bore  him  away,  leaving  her 
deserted  and  alone  to  encounter  perils  such  as  few 
women  ever  had  known,  was  one  that  haunted  her 
until  she  could  bear  it  no  longer,  and  driven  to 
action  by  the  spur  of  a  great  sympathy,  she  went 
to  her  husband  and  laid  the  matter  before  him. 

"  By  the  Great  Day,  Emma,  why  didn't  you  tell 
me  this  before?  " 

"  I  didn't  know  until  to-day.  I  guessed,  but  I 
wasn't  sure,  and,  now  that  I  do  know,  I  think  we 
have  no  right  to  stay  here  digging  in  the  musty 
ruins  of  a  lost  race,  while  a  woman  waits  as  she  is 
waiting." 

To  her  great  joy  her  husband  agreed  with  her, 
and  starting  for  his  cabin,  told  her  to  send  Starbuck 
there. 

At  the  end  of  half  an  hour  he  came  forth,  trans- 
figfured,  and  with  face  abeam  with  happiness,  sought 
Mrs.  Storrs  on  deck. 

Mrs.  Storrs  blushed  like  a  girl  as  Starbuck's 
thanks  came  spontaneously  bursting  from  his  lips. 

"  God  bless  you,  ma'am,  we  can  never  thank  you 
enough.  You  and  your  husband  have  bridged  the 
gap  between  misery  and  happiness,  perhaps  life  and 
death,  for  her  and  for  me.  And  your  husband  — 
do  you  know  what  he  has  done  ?  He  has  offered  me 
the  command  of  this  ship  at  Manila,  where  he  tells 
me  that  Captain  Bent  will  be  forced  to  leave  on 


296   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

account  of  his  health.  And  I  have  accepted,  if 
Eleanor  consents." 

The  prospect  of  having  a  woman  companion  on 
the  long  cruise  brought  unmeasured  delight  to  Mrs. 
Storrs,  and  she  rushed  off  to  find  her  husband. 

That  afternoon  the  Darwin  sailed,  and  as  Star- 
buck,  from  the  bridge,  watched  the  sun  sink  into  the 
sea,  his  heart  bounded  in  his  breast,  for  he  knew 
that  before  another  night  he  would  again  hold  in 
his  arms  the  woman  he  loved. 

Half  the  night  Starbuck  remained  on  deck,  not- 
withstanding the  protest  of  the  doctor,  alone  under 
the  stars,  answering  her  call  across  the  sea  with  the 
message  of  his  devotion,  sending  it  out  to  her  in 
great  pulsing  waves  of  hope. 

The  daylight  hours  sped  but  slowly,  and  though 
the  chief,  answering  the  plea  of  Mrs.  Storrs,  worked 
an  extra  knot  from  the  Darwin's  engines,  Starbuck 
found  the  pace  of  the  ship  a  miserable  crawl.  At 
noon  he  himself  took  the  sun,  and  worked  out  the 
steamer's  position,  comparing  it  with  the  captain's 
observation,  and  found  that  in  two  hours  at  the 
most,  they  should  raise  the  island,  —  Starbuck 
Island,  unnamed  on  any  chart,  shunned  seemingly 
by  all  the  world,  but  dearer  to  him  for  what  it  held 
than  all  the  continents.  Overruling  the  surgeon's 
commands,  Starbuck  swung  himself  into  the  fore- 
shrouds  and  climbed  aloft,  peering  to  the  northwest 


BY    DEAD   RECKONING  297 

through  a  pair  of  binoculars.  For  an  hour  he  clung 
there,  waiting,  watching,  going  over  again  and 
again  the  results  of  his  calculations,  seeking  for  the 
not  impossible  mistake  that  might  ruin  his  reckon- 
ing. Constantly  he  used  his  glass,  sweeping  the 
blue  horizon  with  the  closest  scrutiny. 

Steadily  the  Darwin  plowed  her  way,  swinging 
rhythmically  to  the  heave  of  the  long,  smooth  swells. 
All  at  once  Starbuck's  eye  was  arrested  by  the 
merest  shadow  on  the  edge  of  the  world.  It  was 
so  faint  that  he  lost  it  the  second  time  he  looked, 
but  at  the  third  he  saw  it  again,  and  knew  that  it 
was  land.  His  heart  leaped  at  the  realization,  and 
checking  the  sailor's  cry  of  Land  Ho !  which  rose  in- 
voluntarily to  his  lips,  he  looked  again,  long  and 
carefully,  as  if  fearing  a  mirage.  But  it  was  true. 
An  island  was  there  and  it  must  needs  be  his  island. 

As  he  held  the  glass  to  his  eye,  looking  again 
to  leave  no  room  for  doubt,  visions  assailed  his 
mind,  and  a  thousand  fears  crept  into  his  heart, 
as  possible  dangers  to  which  she  might  have  been 
exposed,  presented  themselves  in  terrifying  array. 
He  told  himself  over  and  over  again  that  she  was 
safe,  but  over  and  over  again  doubt  came  in  new 
and  fanciful  shapes,  until  his  brain  reeled  with  the 
torture  of  it. 

But  the  calmness  of  the  sea,  the  smiling  tropic 
sky,  the  steady,  purposeful  progress  of  the  ship,  all 


298       THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP 

bespoke  peace  and  serenity,  and  the  spectre  cleared 
as  the  landfall  raised  itself  out  of  the  blue,  and  took 
on  at  last  the  form  of  the  one  island,  that,  during  the 
weeks  he  had  been  absent,  had  ever  been  the  picture 
before  his  mind.  And  he  watched,  impatient  for 
the  completion  of  that  last  glimpse,  by  the  addi- 
tion of  a  line  of  white  breakers,  a  strip  of  gleaming, 
sunlit  sand  and  the  figure  of  a  girl  in  white,  waving 
to  him  with  a  branch  of  jasmine  blossoms. 

But  now  he  roused  himself  to  his  duty  as  look- 
out, and  his^  shout  of  Land  Ho !  rang  through  the 
ship.  There  was  a  mild  commotion  below  him,  and 
one  by  one,  the  ship's  company  emerged  to  people 
the  bridge  and  forward  deck,  talking  quietly  of  the 
event  at  hand.  And  Starbuck,  with  the  light  of 
happiness  shining  in  his  eyes,  descended  to  the 
bridge,  ready  when,  after  an  eternity  of  waiting, 
the  time  should  arrive  to  pilot  the  Darwin  to  a  safe 
anchorage  behind  the  reef. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

BY   THE  WORDS  OF   MEN 

During  the  first  few  days  of  her  solitude, 
Eleanor  Charming,  still  unrecovered  from  the  shock 
of  Starbuck's  enforced  departure,  stayed  closely  by 
the  home  camp,  rarely  going  farther  than  was  neces- 
sary to  procure  food  and  fuel.  Even  her  new  born 
self-reliance  and  courage  quailed  in  the  long,  dark 
hours  when  the  trees  whispered  to  her  of  mystery, 
•and  the  night  stirrings  of  the  jungle  at  her  back 
spoke  the  language  of  loneliness.  The  days  she 
could  bear,  but  long,  long  in  the  silent  hours  did  she 
lie  thinking  of  her  lover,  striving  in  her  void  of 
waking  dreams  to  catch  some  vibrant  thrill  of  hope 
from  out  of  the  silent  space  between  them. 

But  as  the  days  grew  in  number  and  the  round 
of  simple  toil  brought  calmness  and  something  like 
<a  return  of  normal  spirits,  she  began  to  find  a 
pleasurable  excitement  in  little  journeys  of  explora- 
tion. She  traversed  at  first  the  length  of  beach  on 
the  side  where  they  had  made  their  home,  her  spear 
in  hand  and  the  axe  slung  in  a  pigskin  case  across 
her  shoulders.     She  dug  turtle  eggs  from  the  sand 

299 


300   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

to  vary  her  bill  of  fare,  and  once,  she  ventured 
to  the  head  of  the  valley.  As  she  grew  bolder,  to 
occupy  her  thoughts  and  to  pass  the  long  hours,  she 
climbed  to  the  peak  of  the  hill  and  replaced  the 
streamer  of  white  tappa,  which  was  frayed  and  split 
with  the  constant  worry  of  the  breeze.  On  her  way 
home  from  one  of  these  excursions  she  noticed  a 
bed  of  reddish  earth,  and  hit  upon  the  plan  of  dye- 
ing, if  possible,  her  signal  flag,  that  it  might  show 
plainer  from  the  sea.  The  experiment  was  success- 
ful, and  on  her  next  visit  to  the  summit  she  flung 
a  broad,  crimson  streamer  to  the  wind. 

Now  she  made  almost  daily  a  circuit  of  the  island, 
scanning  the  seas  as  she  went,  often  ascending  the 
broad  stream  of  frozen  lava  that  ran  from  the  silent 
crater  to  the  shore.  At  such  times  she  would  sit 
on  the  peak's  topmost  pinnacle,  under  the  flagstaff, 
and  gaze  for  an  hour  at  a  time  off  toward  the 
horizon  where  she  had  seen  the  schooner  disappear, 
as  if  she  expected  to  see  it  finally  raise  its  white 
sails  over  the  rim  of  the  world  of  waters  that 
danced  before  her,  "  blue-empty  'neath  the  sun." 
And  she  thought  of  Starbuck,  of  his  love  for  her 
and  his  plans  for  their  future.  Would  they  ever 
come  to  pass  ?  Would  she  some  day  go  back  to  the 
world  with  him  at  her  side,  proud  in  his  possession, 
to  confront  the  sidelong  glances  of  smug  propriety 
widi  the  free  gaze  of  fearlessness  ?  In  what  manner 


BY    THE    WORDS    OF    MEN  301 

would  he  come  and  what  would  be  their  path  to 
civilization?  She  cared  not  so  long  as  it  lay  side 
by  side  with  his. 

On  her  return  to  camp  that  day  she  stalked  and 
slew  a  pig,  which  she  dragged  to  the  beach.  Proud 
of  her  skill,  she  was  a  little  doubtful  when  its  dress- 
ing was  attempted,  but  she  recalled,  as  well  as 
she  could,  the  operation  as  she  had  seen  Starbuck  do 
it,  and  before  long  the  hide  was  hanging  on  a  bush 
and  the  meat  was  baking  under  the  embers.  Pleased 
with  the  success  of  her  day,  she  retired,  to  sleep 
better  than  she  had  heretofore,  and  to  dream  of  his 
presence,  waking  only  with  the  first  gray  of  dawn, 
to  rise  and  hasten  to  the  beach  to  learn  if  the  sea 
at  last  held  the  speck  in  the  distance  that  would 
mean  his  coming. 

Of  the  possibility  of  some  other  ship's  approach, 
she  gave  no  thought.  Rescue,  to  her,  had  one  mean- 
ing and  only  one;  the  return  of  her  mate.  Other 
than  that  rescue  was  nothing.  As  she  worked  about 
the  hut's  door,  using  many  of  the  little  conveniences 
that  Starbuck  had  fashioned  for  her,  she  thought 
steadily  over  her  entire  acquaintance  with  him; 
how  he  had  come  to  her  in  a  moment  of  stress  and 
terror  and  sorrow,  to  lead  her  away  from  the  dead 
form  of  her  nearest  and  dearest,  out  into  a  life  so 
new,  so  strange,  so  revolutionary  that  she  even 
smiled  as  she  went  back  beyond  the  beginning  and 


302        THE   CRADLE   OF   THE   DEEP. 

saw  the  Eleanor  of  old.  She  remembered  little 
sacrifices  that  Starbuck  had  made  for  her  from  the 
very  first;  his  long,  sleepless  vigil  in  the  boat;  his 
self-denial,  even  to  the  food  and  drink  he  needed, 
when  the  chance  faced  them  that  the  supply  might 
run  short.  She  wondered  at  her  attitude  toward 
him  then;  her  thought  of  him  as  a  brute  for  his 
treatment  of  Aubert.  She  recalled  his  care  and 
consideration;  all  his  evident  planning  for  her 
comfort  and  her  needs,  and  she  wondered  in  her 
woman's  heart,  if,  when  this  adventure  was  only 
a  memory,  she  would  ever  turn  and  look  back  on  it 
as  she  was  looking  now  into  the  past,  and  if  she 
would  smile  to  herself,  happily,  and  hug  the  mem- 
ory closer,  as  a  sacred  thing. 

Would  she  ever  slip  back,  she  wondered,  into  the 
old  narrow  course  of  former  environment,  taking 
him  with  her,  until  they  should  gaze  down  the  years, 
and  smile  at  this  seeming  epoch,  as  merely  the  in- 
cident that  had  given  them  each  other.  She  knew 
that  life  was  not  all  freedom,  and  that  the  rut  of 
living  wears  itself  deep,  but  that  the  great  lesson  she 
had  learned  and  he  had  learned  from  their  isolation 
would  always  remain,  she  could  not  doubt.  What- 
ever course  their  two  lives  should  run,  the  love,  and 
trust,  and  happiness  of  this  one  year  would  be  ever 
in  their  hearts.  For  her  the  outlook  on  the  world 
would  be  broader  and  kindlier,  all-embracing  in  its 


BY    THE    WORDS    OF    MEN  303 

sympathy,  condoning  in  its  depth,  pitying  in  its 
clarity  of  vision. 

And  for  him  she  did  not  fear.  Her  confidence 
in  his  love  was  enough.  Comparison  with  other 
men  was  not  for  him.  He  stood  out  a  figure  of 
courage  and  manhood  beside  which  those  she  had 
known  bulked  small  and  incomplete.  She  was  quite 
content,  for 'never  once  did  she  lose  her  faith  in 
his  return. 

So  the  days  came  and  went,  monotonous  in  their 
unvarying  round,  even  vaguely  grateful  in  their 
monotony.  She  had  been  for  more  than  three  long 
weeks  alone,  praying  by  night  and  by  day  that  the 
next  sun  would  bring  her  lover,  when  one  cloud- 
less morning  she  started  to  make  again  the  circuit  of 
the  island.  She  stepped  from  her  plunge  in  the 
cool  waters  of  the  stream  with  a  sense  of  vigour  in 
her  limbs.  Perfect  health  glowed  in  her  eyes,  and 
the  rosy  freshness  of  her  skin  was  that  of  glorious 
youth.  She  donned  her  tunic  of  white,  shook  out  to 
dry  in  the  morning  sun  the  heavy,  shining  lengths  of 
her  hair,  and  spear  in  hand,  strode  with  free,  brown 
limbs  along  the  sand.  There  was  lightness  in  her 
step  and  almost  joy  in  her  heart  at  the  very  bright- 
ness of  the  day  and  the  thrill  of  life  within  her. 

Reaching  the  westernmost  point  of  the  island, 
she  turned  and  looked  far  out  into  the  blue  waste 
before  her,  shading  her  eyes  with  her  hand ;  but  the 


304   THE  CRADLE  OF,  THE  DEEP. 

horizon  was  empty  as  ever,  and  she  kept  on  her  way. 
Rounding  to  the  long  stretch  of  the  southern  shore 
she  could  see  the  length  of  the  island,  walled  by  the 
great  tongue  of  lava  that  ran  down  into  the  sea. 
This  reached,  she  sat  and  watched  the  smothering 
surf  on  the  distant  reef,  her  spear  within  easy  grasp, 
listening  for  any  sound  that  should  indicate  the 
presence  of  a  herd  of  swine. 

LxDng  before,  Starbuck  had  supplanted  the  rubbing 
stick  with  steel  and  tinder,  and  with  these,  which 
she  carried  in  a  tortoise  shell  box  slung  around  her 
neck,  she  now  started  a  blaze.  At  a  little  distance 
she  found  a  nest  of  turtle  eggs,  and  brought  a  cala- 
bash bowl,  which  she  took  from  its  hiding-place  in 
a  crevice  in  the  rocks,  for  she  often  planned  to  take 
her  luncheon  there.  With  red-hot  stones,  dropped 
one  by  one  into  the  bowl,  she  soon  had  the  water 
boiling  and  her  eggs  cooked,  and  taking  them,  to- 
gether with  her  water  bottle  of  calabash  gourd,  cun- 
ningly shaped  by  binding  the  young  stem,  she  began 
to  climb  the  slope,  stopping  now  and  then  to  rest 
and  to  sweep  the  sea  with  her  gaze.  At  the  crater's 
rim  she  paused,  marvelling  long  at  the  beauty  of  the 
view  before  her.  The  white  line  of  the  reef  with  its 
tossing  spray,  the  ever  changing  blue  and  green  and 
violet  of  the  shallow  lagoon,  the  waving,  feathery 
tops  of  the  tall  palms,  tracing  their  delicate  fronds 
far  below  her,  made  a  scene  that  she  had  grown  to 


BY    THE    WORDS    OF   MEN  305 

love,  even  though  the  memories  it  often  brought, 
darkened  its  colouring  with  the  shadow  of  her  soli- 
tude. 

At  length  she  rose,  and  crossing  the  crater, 
climbed  the  pinnacle  to  the  signal  staff.  As  she 
mounted  to  the  height  of  the  land  there  came  to  her 
a  thrill  of  expectancy,  and  she  hurried  in  her  scram- 
ble to  where  she  could  look  over  the  jutting  point  of 
lava  to  the  great  spread  of  ocean  beyond. 

As  her  eyes  sought  the  sea  her  heart  gave  a  great 
bound,  and  she  brushed  the  hair  from  her  brow 
with  a  quick  movement  of  her  arm,  for  there,  in  the 
distance,  under  a  long  black  trail  of  smoke,  was  the 
gray  hull  of  a  steamer,  heading  for  the  island.  With 
her  naked  eye  she  could  see  plainly  the  white 
weather  cloth  of  the  bridge,  and  moving  figures 
crossing  the  black  background  of  the  funnel.  She 
gave  a  little  cry  as  the  astounding  vision  of  her  long- 
ing came  into  being  before  her,  and  caught  with 
one  hand  at  the  flag-pole,  the  other  pressed  against 
her  heart.  Could  it  be  that  he  had  come  at  last? 
It  must  be  he.  Who  else  of  all  the  world  could  have 
sought  her? 

She  could  see  now  that  the  steamer  was  making 
directly  for  the  break  in  the  reef,  and  as  she  looked 
the  Stars  and  Stripes  broke  out  in  a  wee  patch  of 
colour  at  main  gaff  end.  With  shaking  hands  she 
knotted   up  her   loose  hair,   and  with   limbs  that 


306   THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  DEEP 

scarcely  bore  her  for  their  trembling,  she  sought 
the  path  that  led  down  the  steep  slope.  Panting  in 
her  eagerness,  she  hurried,  unmindful  of  the  sharp 
stones  that  bruised  her  feet  or  the  brambles  that 
caught  and  tore  at  her  tunic  and  her  half-bared 
limbs.  Half-way  down  she  heard  a  rattle  and  crash, 
as  the  chain  cable  tore  through  the  hawse  pipes 
and  the  ship  came  to  anchor. 

In  a  very  frenzy  of  anxiety  to  reach  the  beach 
before  a  boat  could  come  ashore,  she  rushed  madly 
on,  tripping  over  roots  and  falling  more  than  once. 
She  had  cast  aside  her  spear  and  axe  as  useless  bur- 
dens, and  reaching  the  floor  of  the  valley,  hastened 
onward  through  the  beaten  path.  Now  she  could 
see  the  lagoon  through  the  trees,  and  for  a  flashing 
instant  the  thought  came  to  her  that  it  might  not 
be  he  at  all,  but  some  stranger  she  was  hurrying  to 
greet.  The  tears  came,  her  lip  trembled,  and  she 
half  fell  against  a  tree  trunk,  her  hands  clasped  as 
if  in  prayer  against  such  a  fortune.  But,  as  her 
eyes  cleared  again,  she  heard  a  boat's  keel  scrape 
the  sand  and  saw  in  a  fleeting  glimpse  a  single 
White  figure  that  leaped  ashore  and  ran  across  the 
beach.  Now  the  man  paused,  stopped  short  as  if 
listening. 

"John!"  she  cried. 

With  a  bound  Starbuck  was  through  the  screen 
of  branches  and  rushing  toward  her.     With  eyes 


BY    THE    WORDS    OF    MEN  307 

dim  with  the  mist  of  gladness,  she  stood  with  arms 
outstretched,  her  head  thrown  back,  her  whole  fig- 
ure pulsing  with  unutterable  joy. 

"Eleanor!" 

"  John !  John !  my  dear,  my  dear  one !  I  knew 
you  would  come  back  to  me." 

For  answer  he  spoke  only  her  name,  and  as  his 
love  enfolded  her  in  encircling  arms,  he  kissed  the 
sweet  lips  and  the  eyes  that  looked  up  through  their 
beaming  tears  of  joy,  deep  and  fathomless  with  the 
perfect  trust  of  love. 

And  as  the  sunset  tipped  the  pinnacles  of  the 
height  with  crimson  and  gold,  John  Starbuck  and 
Eleanor  Channing  stepped  out  upon  a  flag-hung 
quarter-deck,  where  the  gray-haired  captain  stood 
waiting,  with  book  in  hand,  and  as  the  crew  of  the 
Darivin  stood  clustering  and  uncovered,  the  words 
of  man  sanctioned  and  set  the  seal  of  the  world  on 
the  sacred  union,  already  consecrated  beyond  man's 
power  to  revoke,  under  the  skies  of  Starbuck  Island. 


THE    END. 


GROSSET&  DUN  LAP'S 

DRAMATIZED    NOVELS 

THE   KIND   THAT   ARE   MAKING   THEATRICAL    HISTORY 
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WITHIN  THE  LAW.     By  Bayard  VeUler  &  Mamn  Dana. 
Illustrated  by  Wm.  Charles  Cooke. 

This  is  a  novelization  of  the  immensely  successful  play  ivhich  ran 
for  two  years  in  New  York  and  Chicago. 

The  plot  of  this  powerful  novel  is  of  a  young  woman's  revenga 
directed  against  her  employer  who  allowed  her  to  be  sent  to  prisor? 
for  three  years  on  a  charge  of  theft,  of  which  she  was  innocent. 

WHAT  HAPPENED  TO  MARY.     By  Robert  Carlton  Brown. 
Illustrated  with  scenes  from  the  play. 

This  is  a  narrative  of  a  young  and  innocent  country  girl  who  is 
suddenly  thrown  into  the  very  heart  of  New  York,  "the  land  of  her 
dreams,    where  she  is  exposed  to  all  sorts  of  temptations  and  dangers. 

The  story  of  Mary  is  being  told  in  moving  pictures  and  played  ia 
theatres  all  over  the  world. 

THE  RETURN  OF  PETER  GRIMM.      By  David  Belasco. 
Illustrated  by  John  Rae, 

This  is  a  novelization  of  the  popular  play  in  which  David  War, 
field,  as  Old  Peter  Grimm,  scored  such  a  remarkable  success. 

The  story  is  spectacular   and  extremely   pathetic  but  withal, 
powerful,  botn  as  a  book  and  as  a  play. 
THE  GARDEN  OF  ALLAH.    By  Robert  Hichens." 

This  novel  is  an  intense,  glowing  epic  of  the  great  desert,  sunlit 
barbaric,  with  its  marvelous  atmosphere  of  vastness  and  loneliness. 

It  is  a  book  of  rapturous  beauty,  vivid  in  word  painting.    The  play 
has  been  staged  with  magnificent  cast  and  gorgeous  properties. 
BEN    HUR.    A  Tale  of  the  Christ.    By  General  Lew  Wallace. 

The  whole  world  has  placed  this  famous  Reli^ous- Historical  Ro- 
mance on  a  heigfht  of  pre-eminence  which  no  other  novel  of  its  time 
has  reached.  The  clashing  of  rivalry  and  the  deepest  human  passions, 
the  perfect  reproduction  of  brilliant  Roman  life,  and  the  tense,  fierceJ 
atmosphere  of  the  arena  have  kept  their  deep  fascinatioiu  A  tre- 
mendous dramatic  success. 

BOUGHT  AND  PAID  FOR.     By  George  Broadhuist  and  Arthur 
Hornblow.  Illustrated  with  scenes  from  the  play. 

_  A  stupendous  arraignment  of  modem  marriage  which  has  created 

an  interest  on  the  stage  that  is  almost  unparalleled.  The  scenes  are  laid 

in  New  York,  and  deal  with  conditions  among  both  the  rich  and  poor. 

The  interest  of  the  story  turns  on  the  day-by-day  developments 

which  show  the  young  wife  the  price  she  has  paid. 

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MYRTLE    REED'S   NOVELS 


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LAVENDER  AND  OLD  LACE. 

A  charming  story  of  a  quaint  comer  of 
New  England  where  bygone  romance  finds  a 
modem  parallel.  The  story  centers  round 
the  coming  of  love  to  the  young  people  on 
the  staff  of  a  newspaper — and  it  is  one  of  the 
prettiest,  sweetest  and  quaintest  of  old  fash- 
ioned love  stories,  *  *  *  a  rare  book,  ex- 
quisite in  spirit  and  conception,  full  of 
delicate  fancy,  of  tenderness,  of  delightful 
humor  and  spontaniety 


A  SPINNER  IN  THE  SUN. 

Miss  Myrtle  Reed  may  always  be  depended  upon  to  write  a  story 
in  which  poetry,  charm,  tenderness  and  humor  are  combined  into  a 
clever  and  entertaining  book.  Her  characters  are  delightful  and  she 
always  displays  a  quaint  humor  of  expression  and  a  qujet  feeling  of 
pathos  which  give  a  touch  of  active  realism  to  all  her  writings.  In 
"A  Spinner  in  the  Sun"  she  tells  an  old-fashioned  love  story,  of  a 
veiled  lady  who  lives  in  solitude  and  whose  features  her  neighbors 
have  never  seen.  There  is  a  mystery  at  the  heart  of  the  book  that 
throws  over  it  the  glamour  of  romance. 

THE   MASTER'S    VIOLIN, 

A  love  story  in  a  musical  atmosphere.  A  picturesque,  old  Ger- 
man virtuoso  is  the  reverent  possessor  of  a  genuine  "Cremona."  He 
consents  to  take  for  his  pupil  a  handsome  youth  who  proves  to  have 
an  aptitude  for  technique,  but  not  the  soul  of  an  artist.  The  youth 
has  led  the  happy,  careless  life  of  a  modem,  well-to-do  young  Amer- 
ican and  he  cannot,  with  his  meagre  past,  express  the  love,  the  passion 
and  the  tragedies  of  life  and  all  its  happy  phases  as  can  the  master 
who  has  lived  life  in  all  its  fulness.  But  a  girl  comes  into  his  life — a 
beautiful  bit  of  human  driftwood  that  his  aunt  had  taken  into  her 
heart  and  home,  and  through  his  passionate  love  for  her,  he  learns 
the  lessons  that  life  has  to  give — and  his  soul  awakes. 

Founded  on  a  fact  that  all  artists  realize. 

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STORIES    OF    RARE    CHARM    BY 

GENE  STRATTON-PORTER 


^W^ 


J 


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THE  HARVESTER 
Illustrated  by  W.  L.  Jacobs 

"The  Harvester,"  David  Langston,  is 
a  man  of  the  woods  and  fields,  who  draws 
his  living  from  the  prodigal  hand  of  Mother 
Nature  herself.  If  the  book  had  nothing  in 
it  but  the  splendid  figure  of  this  man,  wiih 
his  sure  grip  on  life,  his  superb  optimism, 
and  his  almost  miraculous  knowledge  of 
nature  secrets,  it  would  be  notable.  But 
when  the  Girl  comes  to  his  "Medicine 
Woods,"  and  the  Harvester's  whole  sound, 
healthy,  large  outdoor  being  realizes  that 
this  is  the  highest  point  of  life  which  has 
come  to  him  —  there  begins  a  romance, 
troubled  and  interrupted,  yet  of  the  rarest  idyllic  quality. 

FRECKLES.       Decorations  by  E.  Stetson  Crawford 

Freckles  is  a  nameless  waif  when  the  tale  opens,  but  the  way  in 
which  he  takes  hold  of  life;  the  nature  friendships  he  forms  in  the 

great  Limberlost  Swamp;  the  manner  in  which  everyone  who  meets 
im  succumbs  to  the  charm  of  his  engaging  personality;  and  his  love- 
story  with  "The  Angel"  are  full  of  real  sentiment. 

A  GIRL  OF  THE  LIMBERLOST. 

Ulustrated  by  Wladyslaw  T.  Brenda. 

The  story  of  a  girl  of  the  Michigan  woods;  a  bnoyant,  lovable 
type  of  the  self-reliant  American.  Her  philosophy  is  one  of  love  and 
kindness  towards  all  things;  her  hope  is  never  dimmed.  And  by  the 
sheer  beauty  of  her  soul,  and  the  purity  of  her  vision,  she  wins  from 
barren  and  unpromising  surroundings  those  rewards  of  high  courage. 

It  is  an  inspiring  story  of  a  life  worth  while  and  the  rich  beauties 
of  the  out-of-doors  are  strewn  through  all  its  pages. 

AT  THE  FOOT  OF  THE  RAINBOW. 

Illustrations  in  colors  by  Oliver  Kemp.    Design  and  decorations  by 
Ralph  Fletcher  Seymour. 

The  scene  of  this  charming,  idyllic  love  story  is  l^d  in  Central 
Indiana.  The  story  is  one  of  devoted  friendship,  and  tender  self- 
sacrificing  love;  the  friendship  that  gives  freely  without  return,  and 
the  love  that  seeks  first  the  happiness  of  the  object.  The  novel  is 
brimful  of  the  most  beautiful  word  painting  of  nature,  and  its  pathos 
and  tender  sentiment  will  endear  it  to  all. 

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JOHN  FOX,  JR'S. 

STORIES  OF  THE   KENTUCKY  MOUNTAINS 

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THE  TRAIL   OF  THE    LONESOME   PINE. 
Illustrated  by  F.  C.  Yohn. 

The  "lonesome  pine"  from  which  the 
story  takes  its  name  was  a  tall  tree  that 
stood  m  solitary  splendor  on  a  mountain 
top.  The  fame  of  the  pine  lured  a  young 
engineer  through  Kentucky  to  catch  the 
trail,  and  when  he  finally  climbed  to  its 
shelter  he  found  not  only  the  pine  but  the 
foot-prints  of  a  girl.  And  the  girl  proved 
to  be  lovely,  piquant,  and  the  trail  of 
these  girlish  foot-prints  led  the  young 
engineer  a  madder  chase  than  "the  trail 
of  the  lonesome  pine." 

THE    LITTLE    SHEPHERD    OF    KINGDOM    COME 

Illustrated  by  F.  C.  Yohn. 

This  is  a  story  of  Kentucky,  in  a  settlement  known  as  "King- 
dom Come."  It  is  a  life  rude,  semi-barbarous;  but  natural 
and  honest,  from  which  often  springs  the  flower  of  civilization. 

"  Chad."  the  "little  shepherd"  did  not  know  who  he  was  nor 
whence  he  came — he  had  just  wandered  from  door  to  door  since 
early  childhood,  seeking  shelter  with  kindly  mountaineers  who 
gladly  fathered  and  mothered  this  waif  about  whom  there  was 
such  a  mystery — a  charming  waif,  by  the  way,  who  could  play 
the  banjo  better  that  anyone  else  in  the  mountains. 

AKNIGHT  OF  THE    CUMBERLAND.  > 

Illustrated   by  F.  C.  Yohn. 

The  scenes  are  laid  along  the  waters  of  the  Cumberland* 
the  lair  of  moonshiner  and  feudsman.  The  knight  is  a  moon- 
shiner's son,  and  the  heroine  a  beautiful  girl  perversely  chris- 
tened "The  Blight."  Two  impetuous  young  Southerners'  fall 
under  the  spell  of  "The  Blight's  "  charms  and  she  learns  what 
a  large  part  jealousy  and  pistols  have  in  the  love  making  of  the 
mountaineers. 

Included  in  this  volume  is  "  Hell  f  er-Sartain"  and  other 
stories,  some  of  Mr.  Fox's  most  entertaining  Cumberland  valley 
narratives. 

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STORIES    OF    WESTERN     LIFE 

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RIDERS  OF  THE  PURPLE  SAGE.    By  Zane  Grey. 
Illustrated  by  Douglas  Duer. 

In  this  picturesque  romance  of  Utah  of  some  forty  years  aeo,  we 
are  permitted  to  see  the  unscrupulous  methods  employed  by  the  in- 
visible hand  of  the  Mormon  Church  to  break  the  will  of  those  refus- 
ing to  conform  to  its  rule. 

FRIAR  TUCK,    By  Robert  Alexander  Wason. 
Illustrated  by  Stanley  L.  Wood. 

Happy  Hawkins  tells  us,  in  his  humorous  way,  how  Friar  Tuck 
lived  among  the  Cowboys,  how  he  adjusted  their  quarrels  and  love 
affairs  and  how  he  fought  with  them  and  for  them  when  occasion 
required. 

THE    SKY   PILOT,    By  Ralph    Connor. 

Illustrated  by  Louis  Rhead. 

There  is  no  novel,  dealing  with  the  rough  existence  of  cowboys, 
so  charming  in  the  telling,  abounding  as  it  does  with  the  freshest  and 
the  truest  pathos. 

THE  EMIGRANT  TRAIL,    By  Geraldine  Bonner. 
Colored  frontispiece  by  John  Rae. 

The  book  relates  the  adventures  of  a  party  on  its  overland  pil- 
grimage, and  the  birth  and  growth  of  the  absorbing  love  of  two  strong 
men  for  a  charming  heroine. 

THE  BOSS   OF  WIND  RIVER,    By  A.  M.  Chisholm. 
Illustrated  by  Frank  Tenney  Johnson. 

This  is  a  strong,  virile  novel  with  the  lumber  industry  for  its  cen- 
tral theme  and  a  love  story  full  of  interest  as  a  sort  of  subplot. 

A   PRAIRIE  COURTSHIP,    By  Harold  Bindloss. 

A  story  of  Canadian  prairies  in  which  the  hero  is  stirred,  through 
the  influence  of  his  love  for  a  woman,  to  settle  down  to  the  heroic 
business  of  pioneer  farming. 

JOYCE  OF  THE  NORTH  WOODS,    By  Harriet  T.  Comstock. 

Illustrated  by  John  Cassel. 

A  story  of  the  deep  woods  that  shows  the  power  of  love  at  work 
among  its  primitive  dwellers.  It  is  a  tensely  moving  study  of  the 
human  heart  and  its  aspirations  that  unfolds  itself  through  thrilling 
situations  and  dramatic  developments. 

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THE    NOVELS    OF 

CLARA    LOUISE     BURNHAM 

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JEWEL;  A  Chapter  in  Her  Life. 
Illustrated  by  Maude  and  Genevieve  Cowles. 

A  sweet,  dainty  story,  breathing  the  doctrine  of  love  and  patience 
and  sweet  nature  and  cheerfulness. 

JEWEL'S  STORY  BOOK. 
Illustrated  by  Albert  Schmitt. 

A  sequel  to  "Jewel"  and  equally  enjoyable. 
CLEVER  BETSY. 

Illustrated  by  Rose  O'Neill. 

The  "Clever  Betsy"  was  a  boat — named  for  the  unyielding  spin- 
ster whom  the  captain  hoped  to  marry.  Tiirough  the  two  Betsys  a 
clever  group  of  people  are  introduced  to  the  reader. 

SWEET  CLOVER:    A  Romance  of  the  White  City. 

A  story  of  Chicago  at  the  time  of  the  World's  Fair.  A  sweet  hu- 
man story  that  touches  the  heart. 

THE  OPENED  SHUTTERS. 
Frontispiece  by  Harrison  Fisher. 

A  summer  haunt  on  an  island  in  Casco  Bay  is  the  background 
for  this  romance.  A  beautiful  woman,  at  discord  with  life,  is  brought 
to  realize,  by  her  new  friends,  that  she  may  open  the  shutters  of  her 
soul  to  the  olessed  sunlight  of  joy  by  casting  aside  vanity  and  self 
love.  A  delicately  humorous  work  with  a  lofty  motive  underlying  it  all. 

THE  RIGHT  PRINCESS. 

An  amusing  story,  opening  at  a  fashionable  Long  Island  resort, 
■where  a  stately  Englishwoman  employs  a  forcible  New  England 
housekeeper  to  serve  in  her  interesting  home.  How  types  so  widely 
apart  react  on  each  other's  lives,  all  to  ultimate  good,  makes  a  story 
both  humorous  and  rich  in  sentiment. 

THE   LEAVEN  OF  LOVE. 
Frontispieca  by  Harrison  Fisher. 

At  a  Southern  California  resort  a  world-weary  woman,  young  and 
beautiful  but  disillusioned,  meets  a  girl  who  has  learned  the  art  of 
living — of  tasting  life  in  all  its  richness,  opulence  and  joy.  The  story 
hinges  unon  the  change  wrought  in  the  soul  of  the  blase  woman  by 
this  glimpse  into  a  cheery  life. 

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